Monster Hunter Destiny: The Darkness Within
by Cottonmouth25
Summary: Renalimas is no more, and Taka and his friends are celebrating their victory. But a surprise attack from two old foes leaves Mediatas Village damaged and Relcia badly injured. She heals, but something about her still seems off. Can Taka save her before the darkness within destroys him from the inside? The final installment of the Monster Hunter Destiny trilogy. Rated T.
1. Tartu Strikes Back!

**Greetings, and many great hellos!**

**Now, it's finally time for the third and last installment in the Monster Hunter Destiny trilogy - "Monster Hunter Destiny: The Darkness Within". This is my personal favorite of the trio.**

**Before we start, I have a couple things to go over as usual...**

**One, read MHD and MHDC before this, please! The story will make more sense that way, I assure you.**

**Two, this might be obvious, but I don't own Monster Hunter or anything related to it.**

**So, let's finish what Taka and the gang have started!**

-.-.-.-.-.

Far away, in a distant stone chamber, two figures crouched over a large stone chest. They had traveled far from the Mysterious Beyond to get to this spot, traversing the regions of Moga and Minegarde to reach this location. It was a place that had been forgotten by both humans and monsters, for it hadn't been used in millennia.

The taller of the two figures shifted his weight slightly, waiting for his companion to unlock it. He was excited, no doubt about that. Contained within this chest were the secrets to several kinds of magic, or so the legend said. He had never thought that much about magic before, because, as most humans and monsters did, he had always dismissed it as myth and nothing more.

But the battle that had been waged a year ago had changed this. An extremely rare type of magic had been utilized by an already special human - the boy Taka. He had, against all odds, summoned the power of the Thunder element within himself, just in time to save his friend from the literal jaws of death. It was this miraculous phenomenon that had gotten the two beings thinking long and hard about the possibilities of magic, and the powers that would be granted if one could master such things.

Apart from Taka, the pair knew that they had no real competition in the field of sorcery. And Taka was just a novice, wet behind the ears when it came to using the spectacular powers that he had been blessed with. However, he did have another formidable power - that of shapeshifting. He needed to be handled very carefully.

"Almost there?" the taller figure asked his companion. A smooth female voice answered, "Yes. Just a few more seconds, and we'll be able to start putting our plans in motion."

The figure smiled. Oh, how he loved to plan. Of course, this was because most of his plans ended up with him ruling over the known world - the Mysterious Beyond, Moga, Minegarde, the Great Frontier, and finally, the Central World.

Suddenly, there was a clicking sound. "Got it!" said the girl excitedly, and opened the chest. A bright light suddenly shone from inside of it, slightly illuminating the otherwise pitch-black chamber.

The duo looked inside and smiled simultaneously. Their grins were identical - wide, triumphant, and carrying signs of pure evil in them. Inside of the chest sat a glowing crystal orb and a medium-sized, tattered book. Both knew that these two objects, when combined, would give them the secrets to ultimate power.

The girl picked up the book and flipped through the first few pages. "I can't understand the language this was written in," she said frustratedly. The other took the book, examining the characters. His grin grew wider as he replied simply, "I can."

Tartu snapped the book closed and tucked it under his arm. "Come, Mylie," he beckoned. "Time to test this out on the ones we both know and hate - Taka and his little friends."

-.-.-.-.-.

The crescent moon was high in the sky above Mediatas Village. It was the second anniversary of the end of the monster war, and the festivities were still going strong. Lots of food, competition, and friendly chat - everyone used this night to relax and have fun.

What made this particular party special were the visitors - Tenris and Elric, two young teenagers from the distant Mysterious Beyond. They had trekked across their own region - as well as that of Moga, where the war was still going strong - in order to reach Mediatas Village. Their friend Taka had sent word of this occasion three weeks in advance, and they had graciously accepted the invitation.

Now they, as well as Taka, Illeera, and Relcia, were sitting at a small, round table, chatting and laughing delightedly. Each had a half-finished meal in front of them, and they had slowed down on the snacking in order for more opportunities to talk. A single lantern was positioned on the centre of the table, bathing the area in its warm yellow light.

Elric chuckled as Taka took a large bite out of his bread - first bringing his mouth up to the food, then biting down and twisting his head in an arc, thus tearing off a sizeable chunk. "Did anyone ever tell you that you eat like a Bird Wyvern?" Elric asked, still laughing.

Taka snickered as he swallowed the morsel whole. He gulped loudly as the bread, almost too large to fit down his throat, slowly made its way down. Then he said, "No," and casually gestured to his feathery Qurupeco armor - in particular, the feathery headdress. He finished, "But then again, I _look_ like a Bird Wyvern."

Tenris, Elric's sister, giggled. "You and me both, Taka," she said, pointing to her own Qurupeco armor. "Hey, are you going to finish that Gargwa leg?" Tenris suddenly asked him, gazing pointedly at the large piece of poultry meat in front of him.

"Be my guest," Taka responded. As she greedily tore into the leg, he continued, "I've never really liked Gargwa meat anyway. But I suppose there are worse things to eat - Khezu Steak, anyone?" He held up a large, slimy piece of pale white steak surrounded by a large strip of fat. Everyone instinctively recoiled at the sight of the disgusting cut of Flying Wyvern flesh.

_You'd better not eat that,_ said a voice. _I wouldn't want to be around a wyvern-eater, now would I?_ Taka turned, surprised at his friend Vulcan's presence. "I wouldn't dream of it," he replied. "I'd rather eat Aptonoth dung." The Rathalos' blue eyes twinkled merrily, then he flew off towards his cavernous nest, a dead Herbivore in tow.

Taka knew that Vulcan would be heading for his nest, where his mate, Reia, and their three hungry Rathling chicks awaited him. They had named the chicks - a male and two females - Bront, Taa, and Rell. The first two had been named after deceased friends - Bronton, Taka's father, and Taahnn, a good friend who had sacrificed himself in the battle with Renalimas a year ago.

Rell, the littlest Rathling, had been named after Taka's girlfriend, Relcia. "Auntie Rell," the wyvern had called her, almost as soon as she learned to speak. Relcia herself had taken a shine to the little wyvern, even more so than the other two. Now, they were nearly inseparable.

Taka was suddenly jolted out of his thoughts by the arrival of Jin, Illeera's monster companion. The Zinogre pup had been rescued by her, literally the day after the war ended in the Central World. Now, Jin looked flustered as he skidded to a halt in front of the five friends.

"What is it, Jin?" asked Illeera, concerned. The Fanged Wyvern panted for a few seconds before blurting everything out. _Hydra saw something suspicious on patrol in the Wet Rainforest!_ he yelped. _She said that it looked like two humans - but it was so dark, she couldn't see their faces. One of them was carrying some kind of glowing orb, and the other one was muttering to herself. Hydra said that the voice sounded familiar to her..._

Just then, Jin's speech was cut off by a huge fireball that had appeared from nowhere. It smashed into the building next to where they were, forcing everyone to drop everything and run. Taka looked around for the source of the fireball, and found himself facing none other than Tartu and Mylie.

Eyes blazing at the very sight of them, he drew his Longsword - a weapon made from Alatreon parts called the Dark Claw. Taka had nicknamed it "Demise". His old Longsword, Guan, had been broken in battle a year ago, and he still kept it as a memorial to all of the adventures he had faced. But he had replaced it with a new Longsword, knowing that one day, he may have to use it.

That time had come. Taka charged forward, Demise held at the ready. Tartu suddenly said something under his breath, and tendrils of dark energy suddenly shot out from his outstretched hand and wrapped around Taka's neck. He choked as his airflow was cut off and the tentacles squeezed him even harder. The pain was unbearable, and just as Taka was about to drift off, something flashed out of the corner of his eye.

Illeera's arrow sped straight and true, slicing through all of the dark tendrils and making them evaporate into nothingness. Tartu gazed at her with intense hatred, then drew his sword, prepared to deal with her. Taka smacked him with the flat of his blade, disorienting him enough for Illeera to run a safe distance away.

Mediatas Village was chaos. Tartu split off from Mylie, busy battling Illeera, Tenris, Elric, and Reia, who had emerged from her den to join the fight. Taka took his distraction as an opportunity to slip through the shadows, looking for Mylie. _I promised her once that if we met again, I would kill her,_ he thought furiously. _And I keep my promises._

His eyes glanced toward the battle now raging in the centre of Mediatas Village. Relcia had joined the fray, swiping at Tartu with her Wolf Tessen Dual Swords. It was all he could do to dodge each one of her strikes while keeping the others at bay.

Relcia slowed down by a fraction of a second, accidentally stumbling on a bit of uneven ground. Tartu saw his chance - an orb of black energy surrounding his free hand, he flung it at her. When it hit, it instantly grew into a shadowy prison that engulfed her. When it faded a second later, Relcia hit the ground, face deathly pale.

Rage flooded Taka's heart. He leapt from his hiding place in the shadows, wanting nothing more than to skewer Tartu on his Longsword. Running at Tartu, he was about to strike him down - when a teasing voice sang out to him. "Oh, Taka," it called, prompting him to look over. What he saw made him freeze instantly.

Mylie had appeared again. She was standing over Relcia's unmoving form, one foot planted on her back. Mylie was holding her Agnablaster directly at Relcia's head, leaving little doubt what she would do with it, given the chance.

Taka cursed under his breath. If he attacked, Relcia was as good as dead. If he did nothing, Tartu would drag him into the battle, and she might die anyway. Wrestling with the decision to fight or surrender, Taka suddenly glanced away and saw that the choice was no longer his.

One of the Rathling chicks, Taa, had emerged from her parents' lair and seen what had happened. Knowing that Relcia was in mortal danger, she acted without hesitation. Now, Taa was running toward Mylie, greyish-green scales glistening in the light of the fire, prepared to save Relcia.

But her shriek of mixed anger and determination had reached Mylie's ears. Instantly, she whipped her Agnablaster upwards and shot a single Clust Shot. The projectile sped down Taa's open throat and, after a single moment, exploded in her stomach. The little wyvern collapsed forward, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

By sheer intuition, Reia immediately knew what had happened to her daughter. With a screech of pure rage, she charged past Tartu and ran straight at Mylie. The traitor faltered as she saw the enraged Rathian speeding right toward her, fearsome jaws wide open and prepared to crush her between them.

Tartu avoided a swing of Elric's Khezu Shock Sword and saw the danger Mylie was in. He muttered a few words under his breath, and suddenly the entire battleground was filled with thick fog. No one could see more than an inch in front of them, and when it faded, Tartu and Mylie had vanished.

Reia's fury became sadness. She nudged the limp head of Taa, as if hoping that some spark of life still remained within her. Of course, she found none, and the mother wyvern began to sob. Vulcan was suddenly there, standing solemnly beside his mate and stroking her back with his wing.

Taka couldn't bear to watch another second of this depressing scene. Instead, he turned toward the unconscious Relcia, blissfully unaware of how close she had come to perishing. He called Illeera over, asking for her help. Together, the two friends carried Relcia toward the Village Elder's dwelling.

_He'll know how to treat her,_ Taka thought, trying to reassure himself. But rage once again threatened to consume him as he thought back to Tartu's magical attack, Relcia helplessly hitting the ground as if struck dead. _Tartu and Mylie will pay,_ he seethed inwardly. _And if I can't cause their death, then I would dearly love to watch them die slowly and painfully. They must pay for all of the destruction that they have caused. As soon as Relcia is better - I will go after them._

-.-.-.-.-.

**A nice, dramatic, suspenseful start, don't you think? But don't worry, things will only get worse from here on out...**

**Review please, and I'll see you soon with the next chapter.**

**TRIVIA: I acquired the Dark Claw Longsword on MH3 not long before I wrote this chapter. Ahh, my first Alatreon... I'll never forget that fight, or how difficult it was. You know what they say, fifteenth try's the charm!**


	2. An Affliction Worth Healing

**Next chapter's up, readers! I'm stating the obvious here, but what the heck.**

**No action, just suspense and story. Read on!**

-.-.-.-.-.

The sun had just began to rise over the horizon. Everyone in Mediatas Village had at last fallen into a troubled sleep after the attack last night. Everyone, that is, except Taka.

Busy keeping watch over Relcia's bed, he found that he couldn't sleep at all. He was simply so worried about Relcia's condition, that sleep eluded him. So he had stayed up the remainder of the night, watching Relcia closely for even the slightest sign of movement, alone with his thoughts.

Taka's thoughts had indeed wandered. He raged inwardly at Tartu and Mylie, he mourned silently the loss of dear Taa, oldest daughter of Vulcan and Reia, and he hoped with all of his might that Relcia would wake up soon. And now, with the sun rising, he jerked himself from his thoughts and examined Relcia once again.

This time, with a thrill of joy, Taka saw her shift a little bit. Her eyelids tensed, then fluttered open. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Then she glanced around, examining her surroundings, and the first thing she noticed was Taka, anxiously sitting beside her.

"Relcia!" he blurted out, relieved. She smiled slightly at him, a little weakly. But it didn't matter to Taka. He threw himself forward, holding her close and kissing her. Relcia didn't even bother being confused or surprised - she simply wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. For a few moments, it was just the two of them and their love for one another.

They broke apart, breathing hard from both excitement and momentary lack of oxygen. "I thought that Tartu had... killed you," murmured Taka. "I was ready to return the favor." Relcia gave him another weak smile. "I'm completely fine," she told him.

Taka stopped - even her voice was weak. _Something's still wrong,_ he thought. _She just needs some rest._ He put this thought into words, saying, "Relcia, you need more rest. You aren't yet back to full strength."

Relcia stopped and looked at him intently. Taka instinctively gazed into her eyes - and he shuddered. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something just felt... unnatural. He felt as if she was studying him, sizing him up as if he were a potential enemy. _This is ridiculous!_ he scolded himself. But still, he had his doubts.

Finally, she spoke to him. "Alright," she replied to his earlier statement. "I... do feel a little tired." With one last kiss on his cheek, she laid back down on her bed, settling down for another few hours' rest. Taka left after a couple of seconds, closing the door gently behind him.

-.-.-.-.-.

Two days passed, and the village had been completely restored, thanks to the hard efforts of the villagers. Life seemed back to normal in Mediatas Village.

But not to Taka. Something nagged at him incessantly. At first, he dismissed it as mere worry - the worry that Tartu and Mylie would return for yet more destruction. But after constantly thinking about it, he realized that it was a much bigger concern.

It was Relcia, he was sure of it. She was back to full health, showing absolutely no signs of her earlier affliction. But... Taka couldn't shake the feeling that something was still wrong with her. He could see it in her eyes, every time she looked at him or him at her. There was still that unnatural vibe radiating from them, alongside the usual warmth and regard.

Taka shared his suspicions with his other friends - Illeera, Jin, Vulcan, Reia, Bront, Rell, Ignatius, and Syrie. The Nargacuga in particular was just as worried as he was, having detected the same feeling. Taka and Syrie had talked long into the night, discussing what might be the matter. But even they, the two beings closest to Relcia, couldn't figure it out.

Taka's sister, Hydra, wasn't particularly concerned - but then again, she had bigger things to be concerned about. She had a husband, Ignus, and a monster companion, Geon the Basarios. Not to mention her seven-month old daughter, Terra, who kept Hydra busy throughout most of the day. Taka was still getting used to the fact that he was now an uncle.

But that was another matter entirely. Taka became so worried about Relcia's unknown condition that he went to the Village Elder for advice. Taka told him everything, from Tartu's attack to his growing suspicions.

The Elder was silent for a very long time, mulling over the situation as he always did. Then, at last, he spoke in his raspy voice. "I regret to admit that I, too, have no idea as to what is afflicting Relcia," he sighed, much to Taka's disappointment. But as he hung his head, the Elder continued his unfinished thought.

"But..." he trailed off. "I do have an idea as to how to cure it." Taka was confused. "What?" he asked. "How can you cure something when you don't even know what it is?"

The Village Elder smiled thinly. "There is one thing that is rumored to be so powerfully magical, that it can cure absolutely anything." He paused to let his statement sink in, then finished dramatically, "A scale from the Legendary Black Dragon itself - the Fatalis."

Taka's eyes widened. "The Fatalis... exists?" he asked in shocked disbelief. The Elder nodded and whispered, "I hunted it once, many decades ago. I was the only one in my hunting party to get back alive."

Everything Taka thought he knew had just been turned on its head. He, as well as all of his friends, had grown up thinking the Fatalis was a myth, a story invented to entertain children. The realization that the fabled beast actually existed totally boggled his mind.

The Elder was speaking again. "According to the legends," he mused. "The Fatalis resides in Castle Schrade, the site of its mighty victory against the humans of Schrade Kingdom many hundred years ago. A single one of its magical scales will heal Relcia, I guarentee it."

It wasn't often that the Village Elder said that, but when he did, it really was a guaranteed chance. Taka felt hope surge through him as the image of the legendary scale filled his mind. His entire world rested on that scale - for if Relcia couldn't be cured, he would crumble into nothingness.

Once again, the Elder broke into Taka's thoughts. "There's one more thing," he murmured. "You must be aware of where Castle Schrade, and indeed the ruins of Schrade Kingdom itself, lie. They are located in none other than the Great Frontier."

_The Great Frontier!_ Taka thought excitedly. _How I've wanted to go there and see what amazing monsters inhabit it!_But he knew that this was no fool's errand - the monsters of the Great Frontier were more powerful than anything he could ever imagine. Indeed, there was an old saying in Mediatas Village that said as much - "A Yian Kut-Ku in the Great Frontier is like a Rathalos in the Central World."

Taka gathered up his courage, standing up straight from his seat in the Elder's dwelling. "Thank you," he said gratefully. "I'll leave at once."

The Village Elder smiled. "Not so fast," he cautioned with a wry smile. "You'll need a few special items first..."

-.-.-.-.-.

By the time Taka emerged from the Village Elder's home, he looked radically different. Instead of Qurupeco armor, he wore Rathian armor, and it wasn't his Alatreon Longsword, Demise, that he wore on his back - rather, he carried a Blango Decimator. A map was clutched in his armored fist.

It was the Elder's reasoning that wearing his regular armor and weapon would attract unwanted attention from the people of the Great Frontier - after all, Qurupecoes and Alatreons didn't inhabit that particular region. So, he had substituted his equipment for those made from Rathian and Blangonga parts, as those monsters were common in the Frontier.

Relcia smiled amusedly when Taka walked up to her in his new armor. "Rathian armor, too, huh?" she laughed, gesturing to her own Rathian set. "What made you decide to swap?" Taka grinned good-naturedly and told her the whole story. She wasn't smiling anymore when he had finished. "The Great Frontier?" she whispered. "Of all places... I know you're worried about me - I am feeling a little different, that's for sure - but isn't this taking it too far?" Taka shook his head, shifting his helm underneath his arm. "If the Fatalis is the only one who can help, then I'm all for it," he replied. "I'd do anything for you, Relcia. You know that."

It was settled. As they prepared for the journey, Taka was shocked to see Lauren, his Melynx friend, scampering toward them. When the cat-like creature reached them, she was panting a little, out of breath. "I want to come too, nya!" she meowed happily. "You're my master, Taka, and I want to help you!" Taka's heart swelled with pride. Lauren was clumsy, and a bit of a kleptomaniac, but otherwise friendly and blindly loyal. If Taka told her to jump into the open jaws of an Akantor and crawl into its stomach, she would have.

With that decided, Taka turned into a Rathalos - _Looking very handsome, Taka,_joked Vulcan as he passed - and allowed Relcia and Lauren to cautiously climb up onto his back. With a running start and a single flap of his broad wings, they were airborne. They were on their way to the Great Frontier - but how long would their lives last in that dangerous region? Only time would tell.

-.-.-.-.-.

**How long WILL their lives last? If anyone's played Monster Hunter Frontier, you should know that a journey to that region is no walk in the park - with Supremacy and Hardcore monsters wandering around.**

**Apparently. I've never played the game myself.**

**Review, and see you all soon!**

**TRIVIA: I've never fought Fatalis, and I'm dreading the eventual confrontation. What weapons/armor should I use? (I like using the Lance, Longsword, and S+S.)**


	3. Into the Great Forest

**Next chapter's up, sorry for the wait.**

-.-.-.-.-.

Tenris found Vulcan and Jin hunting for food in the Idyllic Ocean. She had volunteered to serve in Hydra's place as a member of the Central World Patrol, as they called it. This was her first assignment - to travel through the Idyllic Ocean region and report back to Mediatas Village if she saw any suspicious activity.

The Rathalos and Zinogre were busy dining on a freshly killed Aptonoth on the beach. It was Jin's first time dining on Aptonoth, and he was really enjoying it, it appeared. Tenris walked up to them, and they both stopped eating to greet her.

_Taka is gone,_ Vulcan replied when she asked. _He went with Relcia to the Great Frontier, for whatever reason._ Tenris mulled this over, then murmured, "So the rumor is true? Taka and Relcia have gone to the Frontier in search of a Fatalis Scale?"

Jin nodded rapidly. _Yep!_ he yelped. The Zinogre pup was barely as tall as Tenris - he still had much to grow. _I'm certain that Relcia will be alright,_ he continued. _When Taka sets out to do something, it usually gets done, believe me._

The girl nodded, long black ponytails whipping in the ocean breeze. "I just hope they come back safely..." she muttered, but the wind carried her words away, and the two monsters couldn't hear her.

-.-.-.-.-.

Meanwhile, the couple in question were cautiously walking through the magnificent Great Forest, on the edge of the Great Frontier. Taka in particular was nervous, and he struggled to remember everything that he had been taught about the vast region.

The Great Frontier was a harsh place, and monsters and humans alike competed with one another for space. Perhaps that was part of the reason the war was raging more ferociously there than in any other region. But Taka definitely knew the other part - the monsters were so powerful, it was a wonder that the humans hadn't been wiped out by now. Some monsters, usually older, more battle-experienced ones, had learned devastating new tricks to use in battle, and were referred to the hunters as "Hardcore" monsters. Taka dreaded meeting - and battling - one.

"Where are we going?" asked Relcia softly. Taka checked the map that he still carried and examined it for a second or two. "Hmmm..." he mused. "If we head south-west, then we'll be out of the Great Forest and very close to Castle Schrade."

Relcia nodded silently. Taka was also quiet - after all, it was best not to attract attention in a wild forest teeming with bloodthirsty monsters. _Remember,_ Taka thought, _the war is still going on here. If we cross paths with a monster, we'll have no choice but to fight._ He worriedly wondered if the legend - the one about him, the shapeshifter destined to make eternal peace between humans and monsters - was told here.

Then the time for wondering and hoping was over. Neither of them had realized it, but Taka and Relcia had been stalked by an unknown creature ever since they entered the Great Forest. Now, the creature charged out of the bushes behind them with a shriek, hoping to ambush them.

Taka expertly dodged, and he saw that Relcia also managed to avoid the monster's pounce. Then they got their first good look at their assailant - a colorful Bird Wyvern known as a Hypnocatrice.

He drew his Blangonga Longsword, already trying to formulate a strategy to use against the Hypnock (as it was sometimes called). Relcia also drew her weapons, her twin Wolf Tessen gleaming in the sunlight that streamed through the trees.

Without any warning, the Hypnock attacked, jumping forward and landing on its feet. Ending up almost right next to Taka, it proceeded to strike with its sharp beak. Taka managed to avoid the first two pecks, and rolled away from the third. The last was so powerful, the Bird Wyvern got its beak stuck in the ground. Instantly, Relcia slashed at it, performing two elegant swipes with her Dual Swords. The Hypnock shrieked at the pain and dug its beak back out of the earth.

Suddenly, its tail whipped out of nowhere, the feathered tip catching Relcia in the stomach. The air was knocked from her lungs, and she hit the ground hard. The Hypnock tried to stab her once again with its beak, but a downwards slash from Taka's Longsword, the Blango Decimator, changed its mind. Now it knew that Taka was the greater threat, from both the power of his blade as well as the Ice element enfused within it.

It reared its head back and expanded its chest, then spat a ball of saliva at Taka. He managed to dodge the projectile, but it hit the ground and exploded into white gas that formed a thick cloud. Taka quickly drew a breath and held it as the gas came his way, and soon it had enveloped him completely. If he breathed in even a wisp, then he would instantly fall asleep, a helpless target for the Hypnock. He tried to hold his breath just a little longer, but he was rapidly reaching his limit.

Relcia sprang to assist him, waving her fan-like Wolf Tessen as if they were real fans. She successfully blew the sleeping gas away with a few powerful strokes, allowing Taka to breathe again. He spared her a thankful smile, then leapt back into action, prepared for anything the Bird Wyvern might throw at him.

Except for what it did next.

The Hypnocatrice suddenly breathed out a huge amount of sleeping gas straight upwards, and the projectiles began to fall around the battlefield like meteors. Taka and Relcia, preoccupied with avoiding the incoming gas, were completely vulnerable to the Hypnock's next attack - a huge pounce forward, during which it kicked out with its talons and sent Taka sprawling.

The Bird Wyvern's claws had torn a huge gash in Taka's Rathian armor, but luckily hadn't harmed him at all. _I've seen Hypnocatrices in the Central World,_ thought Taka as he got back up. _But I've never seen one with such battle skills!_ He swung his Longsword in a wide arc, carving a huge gash in the Hypnock's wing and causing it to emit a harsh caw of pain.

Raising its wings, the Hypnock suddenly began to hop around, stretching its wings and shrieking all the while. Taka stopped, confused; he had no idea what it was doing. _Is the Bird Wyvern showing off? Calling for help?_

Nevertheless, he was caught off guard by the strange maneuver. Noticing this, the Hypnock abruptly stopped dancing and pounced again, this time pinning Taka to the ground beneath its feet. "Gigginox spit..." cursed Taka as the Hypnocatrice held him securely to the ground with its talons.

Just as it was bringing its jagged beak down to peck out his eyes, Relcia chose that moment to act. She held her Wolf Tessen over her head, triggering the Demonize ability. She became a blur, whirling faster and faster, slashing continuously. The Hypnock felt several cuts open on its legs and tail and screeched, throwing itself off of Taka and away from Relcia's spinning swords.

Weak, but not yet out of the fight, the Bird Wyvern lowered its head and sprayed a huge cloud of gas right in front of it. Taka and Relcia managed to get out of range, but were caught completely by surprise by the Hypnock's next move - it ferociously flapped its wings in a frenzy, blowing the cloud rapidly towards them!

Taka dodged the wave of sleeping gas by mere millimeters, but Relcia wasn't so lucky. She caught the blast full in the face, and wasn't quick enough to grab a breath of air. Taka cried out as she hit the ground, fully unconscious within seconds.

Instantly, the Hypnocatrice leapt at her with its powerful legs, talons thrown out and prepared to rend her. An animalistic growl escaped Taka's throat as he, too, leapt. Midway through his jump, he transformed into a perfect replica of the Hypnocatrice. He landed right on top of the Bird Wyvern, throwing it off to the side with his own talons.

Furious, the enemy Hypnock turned around and shrieked, sleep gas hissing out of its beak in minute amounts. Taka responded with an almost identical sound, spreading his wings and raising his feathers in order to intimidate his opponent.

Instead of attacking, or at least slinking away in fear, the Hypnock, leaking blood profusely from its many wounds, cocked its head to the side, examining him closely. Before Taka could fake an attack in an attempt to drive it away, it spoke. _You're the shapeshifter,_ it said incredulously. _The one who will end the war between humans and monsters._

Taka responded angrily, in the human, rather than the monster, language. "Yes, I am! Now get away from Relcia, before I kill you right here and now!" The Hypnocatrice cautiously, fearfully in fact, backed away from Relcia's sleeping form. Taka stepped up beside her, shielding her with a wing.

_I'm sorry!_ cried the Bird Wyvern as Taka did this. _I thought that the two of you were ordinary hunters, not folks from the Central World! ...I'd heard stories that the Central World had made peace with the monsters, but I never really believed it._ The Hypnock was calming down, and so was Taka. He withdrew from Relcia, turning back into himself - however, he still held his Blango Decimator at the ready. He didn't trust this monster just yet.

"Why is it that you didn't believe that the war was over in the Central World?" asked Taka, genuinely curious. "The monsters of the Mysterious Beyond were beyond happy - pardon the pun - that the war had come to an end." The Hypnocatrice responded with a flick of her wings and said, _Think about it, shapeshifter - when you live in a region as ferocious as this one, then it comes as a shock that humans are capable of performing such miraculous acts._

Taka could see that the Bird Wyvern had a clear point (other than the one on the end of her beak). When a monster was so used to being attacked mercilessly by hunters, somehow surviving each encounter by the skin of its teeth, it lost faith that humans could harbor anything even close to emotion.

Lauren abruptly peeked out from the undergrowth in which she had been hiding. The Hypnock noticed the motion and stared at her. _A Melynx,_ she commented. _One of the few monsters that sided with the humans all those hundreds of years ago._ Lauren nervously crept up to Taka, hiding behind his leg. She was unsure if the monster's comment was idle, disdainful, or something else.

At this point, Relcia was starting to wake up. Yawning sleepily and weakly sitting up, she looked around with her eyes partially glued together. "What happened?" she slurred. Taka bent down and murmured a short summary of the events that had conspired since her incapacitation.

She looked at the Hypnock suspiciously. "So you're suddenly apologizing to us when you wouldn't think twice about killing us just a minute ago?" she asked rhetorically.

The Bird Wyvern looked at her guiltily. _Please,_ she said quietly. _I have no interest in killing you any more. You two are the hope of the future, and all of us monsters believe in you. Ruby is my name._

Taka helped Relcia up, allowing her to lean on him for extra support. "Taka," he said simply, gesturing to himself. "This is Relcia. Pleased to meet you." Ruby nodded in acknowledgement to their introductions. _Why are you here?_she asked hopefully. _Are you going to end the war here as well?_

Smiling grimly, Taka replied, "Easier said than done. It is for that reason that no, that is not why we are here. Our reason for being in the Great Frontier is that we have business in Castle Schrade. Could you possibly guide us there?"

Ruby shuddered madly, so deep was her fear. _Fatalis..._ she murmured. _It does a lot of its hunting here in the Great Forest. My entire species lives in fear of the legendary beast - even the Espini and Nargacugas run and hide when it appears. I'm sorry, but I cannot do as you wish._

Taka grew very still. _This beast is so powerful that it frightens even the fearless Espinas?_ He had known his entire life how powerful the Fatalis supposedly was, but still - hearing this statement from Ruby only confirmed his fears.

Relcia spoke now, coming out of her deep thoughts. "Would you at least guide us out of the Great Forest?" she asked, in a tone that suggested that she still didn't trust the Bird Wyvern. "I doubt that Taka and I could find our way out in this labyrinth, even with our map."

Ruby's beak parted in a grin. _Now THAT, I can do,_ she chirped. _Come on, I'll show you the way to Castle Schrade from here._ She began to walk through the dense foliage, with Taka close beside her and Relcia trailing behind. Her numerous wounds still oozed blood, but she seemed to be growing stronger quickly. _We must not have hurt her as badly as we thought,_ Taka realized, giving Ruby the once-over. _Pernicious Parnivids, Frontier monsters are stronger than I imagined._

The Hypnocatrice suddenly looked back, glancing nervously at Relcia. Then, she dipped her sharp beak close to Taka's head and whispered from the side of it. _If I may say so,_ she said in an almost inaudible whisper. _Relcia just... I don't like the look of her. Something about her... unnerves me._

Something clicked in Taka's mind. Now that she mentioned it... Taka had indeed realized that just days before. Lauren seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she moaned, "Master, I hope we get to the castle soon, nya."

_Yes..._ thought Taka. _The sooner Relcia is healed, the better._ He turned to her, and their eyes met. Although Relcia smiled kindly at him, Taka shuddered. That unnatural feeling still radiated from her eyes. He decided to put it off his mind, and instead marveled at the astounding wildlife of the Great Forest.

-.-.-.-.-.

**So, their first monster encounter in the Great Frontier, and they almost died. Do you think that they'll make it to Castle Schrade alive?**

**See you soon for the next chapter.**

**TRIVIA: Several of the moves Ruby used in battle are actually what the Hardcore Hypnocatrice uses in MH Frontier.**


	4. Dondruma at Risk

**Next chapter! Now we get to visit Dondruma Town, which I believe is featured in Monster Hunter Dos. But don't quote me on that.**

**Just to clear something up - I have literally no idea what Mezeporta Square adds to MH Frontier, or even where it is, so I'm going to give it its own general purpose for this fanfic, as well as put it in the middle of Dondruma Town. If you do know what the Square is, by all means, tell me. I'm not changing anything regardless.**

**So, let's pay the folks of the Great Frontier a visit!**

-.-.-.-.-.

Dondruma Town - a bustling trade city, full of civilians trying their best to go about their daily lives. Farmers bringing in fresh produce, poultry, and more by Aptonoth-drawn cart, traders from distant lands selling rare goods, and of course, hunters accepting paying requests from Mezeporta Square.

Mezeporta Square was were all of the hunters gathered. Here, they forged their weapons and armor, took airships to the various hunting grounds, and relaxed in the taverns after a hard day's (or night's) work. It was a rougher part of the city, and it wasn't uncommon to see bloody fights break out over the slightest thing. The Great Frontier being the Great Frontier, if you weren't tough enough to even defend your mug of ale, you were likely dead meat.

The thing that really bothered most people was that Dondruma Town was constantly plagued with monster attacks. No human really knew the true reason - that the monsters knew that this city was a populous trade center and would most likely cripple the Frontier's human population if it was destroyed - but they were always alert and on guard, ready to hide or draw their weapons in case of a sudden attack.

During this rainy afternoon, it was business as usual in Dondruma. Of course, "business as usual" often included a rampaging monster or two, and today was no exception. Citizens ran in fear through the streets, trying to reach their shelters and doing their best to outrun the monster that was chasing them.

This was no easy feat, even if the weather had been perfect. The driving rain and wind hindered many of the people, causing them to slip or run off course and bump into things. Then there was the monster itself, capable of outrunning an Apceros stampede. It was the Embodiment of the Storm, Kushala Daora.

The citizens were in a panicked frenzy, desperate to reach the safety of their homes. However, they did not realize just how difficult it was to keep track of a monster's location when fleeing through a crowded metropolis.

Thus, as they rounded a corner, they came face-to-face with the Elder Dragon itself. The Kushala Daora screeched, and all of a sudden, the wind intensified throughout the immediate vicinity. It was the Daora's infamous "wind aura" activating - the closer they got to the dragon, the stronger the winds would become.

But no one was stupid enough to get any closer. The poor townsfolk pushed past each other in an effort to get away from the monster. The Daora lunged, snapping its jaws, and managed to snag an unlucky merchant by the neck, instantly breaking it. No one stayed around long enough to see what the dragon did with its catch.

Suddenly, the sound of a Hunting Horn sang through the air. The Kushala Daora looked up from its freshly caught meal and saw three elite hunters running down the otherwise empty street towards it. Growling, the Daora threw up its wind aura again in an effort to deter them.

One hunter carried a Lance, which was just long enough to spear its quarry without its owner being affected by the punishing wind. The Daora screamed in pain as the ultra-sharp weapon pierced its metallic scales.

There was an audible sucking sound as the dragon inflated its lungs, then a huge screech as it released a massive burst of wind from its mouth. The Lance-wielding hunter was thrown high into the air by the projectile, but the other two managed to dodge. However, they were still brought to their knees by the sheer force of the wind blasing past them.

The hunter that already had her Bowgun out and primed to fire was thrown completely off balance by the sudden attack, and fired a burst of Pellet Shots, missing the Kushala Daora by a meter or more. The shots struck a building, demolishing a section of it and causing it to fall on top of the Elder Dragon. It flinched as medium-sized fragments battered it.

The other two hunters saw their chance and charged. The Lance-wielder was hit by a stray swipe from the Daora's claw, which caught the edge of his shield and flung him to the ground. The third hunter, who carried a massive, deadly-looking Greatsword, swung it with all of his might, but the blade just fell short of the dragon's scales.

Jumping into the air and scattering some stray debris in the process, the Daora rose into the air, hovering just above the ground. It sucked in another breath and let out one long, loud shriek. The wind and sound took the form of a beam, and the Elder Dragon swept the street with it, flinging large amounts of dust, leaves, and small rocks into the air.

Momentarily stunned by the falling masonry and sight-clouding dust, the Bowgun hunter struggled to see through the huge cloud. Too late, she spotted the Daora coming straight for her - and then she saw no more, as the dragon's curved talons ripped through her neck. With a final gasp, she hit the ground and lay still.

The dust cleared, and the other two hunters instantly saw that their comrade had fallen victim to the Kushala Daora. One swung his Greatsword once more, and the blade connected with the Elder Dragon's flank. However, the weapon clanged off of the Daora's metallic hide. The dragon noticed that the blow was powerful, and it galloped off to find a better place to continue the fight.

The two hunters, though, thought that the dragon was fleeing for its life. They pursued, with the Greatsword user pausing to sharpen his weapon with a Whetstone. With only a mild jolt of realization, they saw that the Elder Dragon was heading straight for Mezeporta Square.

"Damn it," said the Lance-using hunter as they chased after the Daora. "It had to be today when the monster attacked." His companion agreed, saying, "All of the other hunters are off on hunts. Of all the damn days to get a pile of hunting requests from the Guild..."

They ran as fast as their heavy armor would allow them, passing a dark, narrow alleyway as they did so. Almost instantly, the Kushala Daora crept out from its hiding place and followed the pair with a satisfied growl.

-.-.-.-.-.

Despite the driving rain, Mezeporta Square looked as it always did. The two hunters burst out from the narrow street, and involuntarily relaxed at the sight of the place where they had spent most of their lives.

But where had the Daora gone? A monster of that size couldn't just disappear into thin air, after all. Both hunters drew their weapons once more, assuming a back-to-back formation. They were ready for any of the Elder Dragon's tricks.

A slight increase in the wind speed suggested that the Kushala Daora was near. The hunters tensed up, prepared for it to suddenly appear from any direction - except from right above them, of course.

Folding its wings back, the Daora plummeted straight down, throwing out its claws at the last second. It slammed down onto the paved ground in the hunters' midst, causing cracks to form in the cobblestones. The Greatsword hunter was caught underneath one of the Elder Dragon's feet, and despite his protective armor, his spine snapped due to the crushing impact.

That left the Lance-wielding hunter all alone, the only of his party of three to have survived thus far. Against his will, a trickle of sweat dribbled down as he stared into the dragon's malicious blue eyes. The Daora raised its head and screeched, once again letting its wind aura whip up its surroundings.

The sudden, gale-force wind caused the hunter to stumble. The Kushala Daora immediately sprung into action, turning on the spot and lashing out with its tail.

The thin, whiplike tail caught the hunter directly on the cheek. The blow didn't just sting, it was also extraordinarily powerful. The impact caused the hunter's head to turn at an unnatural angle, instantly snapping his neck.

With all three opponents dead, the Kushala Daora let loose with a victory roar. The rain suddenly became a downpour, obscuring the dragon from anyone who might have been watching. The wind increased in strength as well, causing houses and merchants' stalls to creak and groan.

All of a sudden, there was a bright flash of light, emanating from the top of the building the Daora had plunged down from a minute before. The Elder Dragon looked up at it to see two humans staring back at it. The taller one had a glowing orb of energy clutched in his fist. Something about the pair didn't bode well for the Daora.

Then its time was up. The female raised a hand and pointed it at the Daora. A beam of pure energy flashed from it, striking the Elder Dragon. Its life slowly ebbed away - it had been frozen from the inside out, with innumerable ice crystals piercing its muscles and organs and causing it to bleed internally.

As the Daora died, the male hunter levitated himself and his companion gently to the ground. "Excellent job, Mylie," he said. "You've learned to control the Ice element well."

Mylie grinned. "I had a wonderful teacher," she hinted, quickly pecking him on the cheek. Tartu allowed the faintest of smiles to spread across his face before stepping up to and examining the dead Elder Dragon. The rain and wind lessened, as the Kushala Daora's control over it faded and disappeared entirely.

All of a sudden, there was a shout. Tartu's head snapped up and Mylie instantly reached for her Agnablaster. Then they paused - there was someone running towards them. It was a squat, goblin-like creature called a Wyverian. As it turned out, this particular Wyverian was none other than the Master of the Frontier Hunter's Guild himself.

"That was incredible!" he exclaimed in a husky voice once he had reached the duo. "You two slew that Kushala Daora like it was nothing!" The Guildmaster coughed a few times, trying to catch his breath, before continuing. "The Hunter's Guild needs your expertise. The monster war has flared up dramatically in the past few years. If you can help defend Dondruma Town, then I and the rest of the Guild would be in your debt."

Tartu smirked inwardly as a plan formed in his mind. Almost automatically, he joined it up with the plan that he was already following, so that now it was a simple step towards achieving his ultimate goal.

"Of course," he said, bowing formally. "My friend and I would be honored." The Guildmaster beamed happily and said happily, "Excellent, excellent! Come, I must talk with you in my quarters." He hobbled off, gesturing for Tartu and Mylie to follow.

"That old fool has no idea what he's doing, branding us as allies," Mylie hissed to Tartu. "Agreed," he said simply. "When all is said and done, we will not only be ruling Dondruma Town, but the entire Great Frontier, and the elite hunters that work within it."

* * *

Meanwhile, in Mediatas Village, Illeera stared up concernedly at the spot from which Taka and Relcia had left, Tenris and Elric by her side. The couple had left a day before, and there was still no sign of them. Illeera knew that when something as worrying as this happened, there was usually something transpiring elsewhere.

"Still no sign?" asked Tenris, running a finger over the blade of her Qurupeco Chopper. Illeera didn't even look at her, just shaking her head while still staring up at the clouds. "What do you think is happening?" Elric piled on. "Have they found the Fatalis yet? And if they did, has it..." He let the sentence trail off, afraid to even speak of Taka and Relcia's possible fate.

"It's more than likely," Illeera said finally, voice cracking. She would not let her best friend die without her, not after all they had been through. "But we must find out for sure."

Tenris' eyes were wide. "Are you saying that we must pursue them into the Great Frontier?" she asked, half-skeptical, half-scared. Illeera turned towards her and her brother, nodding solemnly. "That is exactly what I am saying."

Turning to Elric, she ordered, "Elric, inform the monsters and villagers that we are going after Taka and Relcia. Tell them that we will be back within a week, and if not..." It was her time to trail off.

Elric nodded seriously, then bolted off to do what she had commanded. "How will we get there?" asked Tenris. "It's not as if we can shapeshift, like Taka can. Are we bringing one of the monsters along?"

Illeera shook her head. "No. It is much too dangerous to risk losing more than just our lives. We will be the only three casualties if something goes wrong. As for transportation - we will have to journey the old-fashioned way. By foot."

-.-.-.-.-.

**So it seems that Taka and Relcia have some pursuers. And Tartu and Mylie are working to further their evil goals...**

**Stay tuned!**

**TRIVIA: At my friend's request, Elric gets his name from the Fullmetal Alchemist character.**


	5. The Legendary Black Dragon

**Hello, me again with the 5th chapter. Last time, Dondruma Town was under attack by a Kushala Daora - which was slain by Mylie and Tartu - and Illeera, Elric, and Tenris decided to chase after Taka and Relcia.**

**So, let us continue!**

**Kyroshiro: I was wondering when you'd show your face XD**

**Just kidding, I don't mind at all. I'm just happy to see that you're still reading.**

-.-.-.-.-.

On the southern edge of the Great Forest, a couple of Kelbi peacefully grazed on the lush plants. Behind them was nothing but grassland, and if one traveled far enough, the border separating the Great Frontier and the Minegarde region.

The dense bushes suddenly rustled, and the pair of Herbivores looked up. Ears flapping nervously, they stared at the patch, muscles tensed for flight, just in case whatever was disturbing them was a predator.

An immense creature suddenly burst from the foliage, crushing the ferns underneath its clawed feet. The two Kelbi literally sprang into action, leaping away in short bursts with their long legs. They had no desire to be this creature's next meal.

But the monster wasn't interested in the Kelbi. She was only interested in showing Lauren, Taka, and Relcia to the edge of her home. She halted at the sight of the Great Forest coming to an end, giving way to grassy plains. She gazed out at the strange, treeless place - herds of Aptonoth munched leisurely on the endless lawn, while further in the distance, a pack of Velociprey could be seen stalking them. They were most likely trying to pick out a sick or weak individual, so that they could run it down, separating it from the others in the process, before finally killing and eating it.

Ruby ruffled her feathers uncomfortably. She had no business on the grassland - the forest, after all, was her home, and she planned to stay in it. _Well, this is it,_ she said to the two humans beside her. _If you travel in a direct path from this point, you will reach Castle Schrade._

Taka, hesitating at first, stroked Ruby's head feathers. "Thank you," he said to the Hypnocatrice. "You've been a great help." Lauren meowed her agreement, nuzzling Ruby's leg affectionately. A slight smile formed on the Bird Wyvern's beak.

"Come on, Taka," said Relcia suddenly. She was already a few steps onto the grassland. Taka nodded to her, then turned back to Ruby. _Take care,_ she said kindly. _I hope you find what you're looking for._ With that, she turned and walked back into the dense forest, soon disappearing into the trees.

Taka stared after her for a few seconds, before hurrying to catch up with Relcia. Lauren bounded after both of them, finishing with a jump that carried her onto Taka's shoulder.

Taka caught up to Relcia, and before he could say anything, she pointed up ahead. "Look there," she whispered, and Taka did. He became still as he saw what she was pointing to.

The towers of Castle Schrade could be seen up ahead, poking up just above the horizon.

-.-.-.-.-.

Taka and Relcia stood at the front gates to Castle Schrade. They were no longer surrounded by grass - it was a wasteland for at least a kilometer around the castle. No plants grew, no insects chirped. The only noise was the wind whistling through the stone archways and towers that made up the once-majestic building.

A solitary flag flapped above the open gateway. The gate's hinges were heavily rusted - it was clear that this building had been abandoned, by humans at least, for hundreds of years.

Lauren moaned and snuggled closer to Taka's shoulder, trying to make herself look as small and unnoticeable as possible. Taka didn't blame her. There was an eerie feeling to this place, one that made him feel still and hopelessly alone. The sheer stillness of the castle made his heart grow cold and his spine to shiver madly.

Relcia, trying to comfort him, gently stroked his arm. When he looked at her, she gave him a reassuring smile. "We're going to get out of here with our lives," she told him. "We'll get what we came for, the Fatalis Scale."

Taka numbly held her close, wrapping his arms around her. "But just in case we don't..." he murmured. "Just in case this is the last chance we will have to be together... I love you, Relcia." Relcia smiled and pushed her cheek against his. A few peaceful moments passed, and the couple tried to enjoy them as much as they could.

Finally, they separated and each took deep breaths, preparing themselves for what they knew lurked within Castle Schrade. Taka went first, cautiously taking his first step beyond the threshold.

The shadow of the gateway passed above them agonizingly slowly, but at the same time, it was mercilessly fast. All too soon, they were in the castle's courtyard. It was completely empty, save for a few wooden catapults that looked like they had rotted through.

Every footstep, no matter how quiet, echoed in the vast, open space. Lauren readied her staff, trying to look brave. Taka put one hand behind him to grip his Blango Decimator. Relcia reached for her Wolf Tessen. Finally, the three stood in a circle in the centre of the courtyard, waiting for the great Elder Dragon that they sought to show itself.

They didn't have long to wait. The sound that reached their ears would have been quiet, if not for the dead silence that encompassed the area. Instead, it was definitely noticeable. It was the sound of leathery wings beating against the strong wind.

Lauren suddenly yowled and pointed with her staff to the top-most tower. Taka and Relcia looked to where she was pointing, and their eyes grew wide._Heaven help us..._ thought Taka, his heart pounding at the sight they beheld.

It was the Fatalis. Wings flapping clumsily but powerfully, they carried the dragon slowly upwards, so that it rose from behind the tower. Its long tail hung down, blowing in the breeze. Its horns on its head framed its eyes ominously as it drew ever closer.

The Elder Dragon soared forward, towards the trio that waited with their breaths held below. Beginning to descend, its wings whipped up a wind that blew the hair back from Relcia's face and shut the lid on Taka's helm. He pushed it back up in time to see the Fatalis land with a thud that shook the castle.

The Fatalis stared them down, looking at them as if they were insects that it looked forward to crushing. Its tongue crept out and licked at its lips, then it belted out an awesome roar that caused pebbles to fall from the walls. Taka's head felt like it was being pounded on by a Hammer as the vibrations bombarded him.

Then it spoke to them. _Leave this place, humans,_ it said in a low growl, and Taka was totally shocked to hear that its voice was surprisingly feminine. Indeed, the Fatalis was a female. For some reason, Taka didn't expect this - the legends made the Elder Dragon seem like a male monster.

_Leave this place,_ the Fatalis said again, menace building in her voice. _Leave or suffer the fate that hundreds of others have over the centuries._ Taka stood his ground as he replied, "Fatalis, we mean you no harm. We only seek" -

_Of course you mean harm!_ the Fatalis screeched. _Like countless other humans before you, you have come to slay me, to be the hunters that can say that you have successfully killed the supposedly immortal Elder Dragon of Castle Schrade. To become a legend amongst humans. I will not allow such filthy creatures to end my life!_

Her rage was terrifying. Taka gulped, and Relcia wrung her hands nervously. Lauren still had her staff primed, unwilling to show the Fatalis that she was a coward. "Please," Taka said qiuetly, keeping his voice docile in an attempt to calm the Elder Dragon down. "Please, just listen to me..."

_I will not!_ shrieked the Elder Dragon, and she suddenly charged forward, crawling on her belly in a cumbersome fashion. Taka and Relcia easily got out of the way. "If she won't listen to reason, then I guess we have no other choice," Taka growled, taking out his Longsword. Relcia did the same with her Wolf Tessen, although not before eating a Ration to increase the amount of stamina she had.

Lauren took out her horn and blew into it as hard as she could. The magical sound coiled out from it and enveloped the three of them. Instantly, the strength with which they could wield their weapons increased.

The Fatalis came around again with the same awkward charge. Relcia dove out of the way, then sliced at the Elder Dragon's back legs with her Dual Swords. Barely noticing the continuous strikes, the Fatalis snapped her jaws at Lauren, but the agile Melynx scampered away in time. She then whipped around and hit the Elder Dragon in the snout with her staff, dealing a bit of Dragon-element damage.

Taka struck at the Fatalis' tail, swinging his Blango Decimator downwards. The frozen blade carved a deep wound, and the Fatalis noticed immediately - the wound not only hurt from the weapon itself, but the ice-sheathed blade stung her even more. Shivering from the cold, she whipped her tail out from nowhere, sending Taka's Longsword spinning off through the air.

Scrambling to retrieve his weapon, Taka was suddenly met by the Fatalis' head. The Elder Dragon's mouth began to glow as she prepared to shoot a fireball. There was no way that he could run away in time, and he waited for the end to come.

But then, there was a blur of motion, and Lauren collided with her master, sending him to the ground just as the fireball blazed past. It hit the ground, throwing up smoke, embers, and stones from the ground.

The Fatalis became totally focused on the one that had got away. She crawled menacingly towards Taka, growling deep in her throat. Taka ran in the opposite direction, eager to put distance in between him and the monster. Relcia and Lauren tried everything to distract her, but with no luck. One of Relcia's Dual Swords even made a gash in the dragon's chest, and the Fatalis didn't even pause.

Taka was running straight for a wall. The Elder Dragon's eyes narrowed, and she prepared to fire at him again. Now that Taka's back was against the wall, he waited, heart pounding, for the Fatalis to release her projectile.

It roared out of her throat and sped on a perfectly straight course towards him. At the very last second, Taka dove out of the way, and the fireball impacted against the wall, blowing it to smithereens. _Now see what you're making me do!_ scolded the Fatalis. _I have to live here, you know!_

Relcia struck a deep wound in the Fatalis' leg, causing her to topple to the ground. "That's your own fault," she said in the dragon's ear. "You shouldn't have attacked us." But before she could strike another blow with her Wolf Tessen, the Fatalis righted herself again. Stumbling a little on her injured leg, she roared in fury and pain.

By this time, Taka had retrieved his weapon. But instead of using it, he sheathed it and advanced towards the Fatalis. He triggered his power of shapeshifting, becoming the likeness of a Glacial Agnaktor. The sudden size change was enough for the Fatalis to notice it out of the corner of her eye, and she turned in shock.

_The shapeshifter,_ she breathed. _Why are you attacking me? Why would you slaughter me, when you are destined to end the war by making peace between humans and monsters?_

Taka answered once he had turned back into his normal form. "Why, indeed?" he asked skeptically. "You were the one that accused us of such a thing. I and my friends were just trying to prove you wrong."

The Fatalis was silent. Taka took this as a good sign and went on. "My friend Relcia is... unwell, you see. I have been told that the only thing that can cure her unknown condition is one of your scales. That is why we have come to Castle Schrade."

When the dragon finally spoke, it was in a whisper that easily carried through the once-again-silent courtyard. _I could tell that there was something wrong with her,_ she said. _But it is worse than you suspect. Something is wrong with her spirit. My scales are not powerful enough to heal such severe damage._

Relcia was looking down at herself, as if trying to see through into her spirit and find the hidden damage. Taka's heart froze at the severity of the situation. They had come all this way for nothing.

But the Fatalis was speaking once more. _However,_ she started in a louder voice. _There is one thing that is, in fact, able to cure even this._ She paused, waiting for her words to sink in. When Taka finally motioned for her to go on, she finished, _You must go to the far-off Tower and find my brother, the White Fatalis._

Taka, Relcia, and even Lauren gasped audibly. "The... the White Fatalis?" asked Taka in shock. The black dragon nodded. _One of his scales will be enough to heal your friend permanently._

Lauren was nervously pawing at the ground. "Wh-where can we find the Tower, nya?" she asked in a tiny voice, clearly uncomfortable with speaking to such a legendary monster, immeasurably more powerful than she. The Fatalis responded gently, _The quickest way is to cross the nearby Desert, then pass the Volcano and into the Highland. On the east side of that majestic land, you will find the sacred Tower._

Taka unrolled his map and stared at it for a few seconds. "OK then," he said after a moment's pause. "We'll have to travel across the entire Great Frontier to find the White Fatalis. But such a journey will be unfathomably dangerous." Relcia stepped up beside him and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "But it will be worth it," she told him softly. Unconsciously, Taka met her eyes and nodded his agreement.

The Fatalis, who had remained silent, spoke again suddenly. _I wish you luck,_ she murmured. _Please travel safely._The three simultaneously raised their hands in formal farewell, and silently walked out of Castle Schrade.

Gazing after them, the Fatalis said to herself, _May the gods help you on your quest_...

-.-.-.-.-.

"Stinking Conga fur, how long does this forest go on for?" Elric complained, lurching forward on his painful feet. It wasn't particularly humid in the Great Forest, but he was sweating under his Red Khezu armor. The hours-long walk wasn't helping in the least.

"I think the trees are thinning up ahead," replied Illeera, looking back over her shoulder. Her Sonic Bow IV was in her hand - they had earlier had a violent ordeal with an Emerald Congalala who, apparently, had eaten something that didn't agree with him. _Thank the gods Elric had the foresight to bring Deodorant,_ Illeera thought, shuddering. _I don't think I'll be clean again._

Then, all of a sudden, the trees thinned completely, revealing a verdant grassland that stretched on for miles. Ahead, Illeera knew, lay Castle Schrade, and hopefully Taka and Relcia. "Come on," she said to Tenris and Elric, "we're almost there."

-.-.-.-.-.

**Illeera and co. are catching up, but little do they realize that Taka has to travel even farther if he is to cure his beloved Relcia.**

**The plot thickens... See you later, readers.**

**TRIVIA: The Blango Decimator is probably my favorite Ice weapon in MHFU. I've used it uncountable times against Monoblos, Diablos, and others.**


	6. The Darkness Begins to Spread

**Yet another chapter, but this one contains a revelation that turns Taka's world upside down and eventually threatens to consume him.**

**Interested? Then read!**

-.-.-.-.-.

When early settlers first set foot in the Central World hundreds and hundreds of years ago, they soon found out about the new landscapes and biomes that surrounded them. One of the first they discovered was what they soon named the Barren Desert, because to them, nothing seemed to live there.

Oh, how wrong they had been. Upon further exploration, they discovered hordes of vicious monsters making their homes there. To their shock, it seemed as though the monsters had made comfortable lives in the inhospitality of the Barren Desert. Not only that, but when the settlers looked further, they discovered huge oasis's and gardens filled with towering cacti.

_No, _Taka reminisced, thinking back to that particular history lesson. _The so-called Barren Desert isn't so barren at all. "Prosperous Desert", maybe, would have been a better name._

But the desert that he, Relcia, and Lauren were trekking through - simply called "the Desert" by the locals - certainly was deserving of the name "Barren Desert". The wasteland that surrounded them was almost completely devoid of life, plant or monster. It was only sand and rock, stretching on for kilometers. To Taka, it seemed miraculous that anything could survive here.

The only shrubs that Taka saw were those that he knew only inhabited the harshest environments, where even cacti could not survive. Crickets chirped from within their sparse branches, adding a somewhat relaxing feel to their journey. _Especially after the silence of Castle Schrade,_ Taka thought, and shuddered.

Lauren scampered ahead, scouting ahead in search of any hostile wildlife. She needn't have done so - they were completely and utterly alone. In fact, the only monster that Taka had seen thus far, not including Lauren herself, was a lone Rathian soaring in the twilight sky. And that had only been for two seconds, before the wyvern disappeared behind a cliff.

As the sun continued to sink lower in the sky, it became darker and colder. Relcia began to shiver, and she clung to Taka like a Giggi, trying to get warmer. "You have Hot Drinks, you know," Taka said amusedly. "I know," Relcia replied with a small smile, and slightly tightened her grip on him. "Any excuse to get close to you." Chuckling, Taka gave her one of his Hot Drinks.

Soon, the sun had completely disappeared, and stars broke out almost all at once. Despite the cold, Taka had to admit that the Desert was strikingly beautiful at night.

But as the heat of the day slowly evaporated, the Desert's resident monsters slowly came out of hiding. Cephalos began their nightly hunt, swimming through the sand with ease, and Hermitaurs dug through the sand in search of stray morsels to fill their bellies with. Apceros came out in small herds to snack on the rare vegetation, and packs of Genprey went on the prowl, eating anything that they came across.

Due to this sudden activity, Taka became increasingly wary. Ready to whip out his Blango Decimator at any sign of a monster attack, he scanned the surroundings to make sure that nothing was creeping up on them. But luckily, the monsters that they ran across seemed to have no interest in them, either being herbivores or else looking for larger prey.

Lauren was now well ahead of them, already scurrying into a small cavern entrance. Taka looked at Relcia, silently asking her if they should follow. She nodded once, then got down on all fours and crawled through the narrow cleft. Taka went after her, noticing that the tiny tunnel beyond dropped at a sharp angle. Wherever they were going, they were going underground.

It wasn't long before the floor suddenly disappeared. Not literally, but it suddenly wasn't beneath Taka's feet, and he plummeted with a startled shout. Luckily, he only fell six or seven feet before he hit the ground.

When he came to his senses, Taka looked around in awe. He was in a vast cavern, and the tunnel entrance from which he had dropped was high up on the ceiling. Columns of sand poured down from above, piling up in medium-sized heaps on the floor. It was pleasantly warm, since the sand that was pouring down from the surface had absorbed the heat of the day and was now releasing it.

All of a sudden, Relcia was beside him. "You won't believe what we found," she said excitedly. "Come on, I'll show you there." Without another word, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her.

They traveled a ways into the cave, ducking into a narrow side tunnel that branched off from the main cavern. At the end, there was an equally large cave. For some reason, the vibe radiating from the enclosed room gave Taka the chills. Was it the slightly lower temperature, or darker light? Or was it the occasional bone or scale that littered the ground?

But just up ahead, there was a sight to behold. It was a massive crystal, perfectly formed and standing as tall as he did. Taka ran over to join Relcia and Lauren, who were already there. "Isn't it beautiful, Taka?" Relcia whispered to him, and he nodded. It was indeed beautiful.

Lauren had a greedy look in her eye. As a Melynx, she was a natural kleptomaniac and was possessed by the urge to steal things of value. Although she usually kept it under control, it was clear that she was using all of her will not to give in to this temptation.

"Honestly, Lauren," warned Taka. "Now is not the time. Leave it be." But Lauren argued back, something she almost never did to Taka. "But master, it's just lying there, meow! We can easily swipe it and take it back to the village. Then we'd be rich, nya!"

Relcia took Taka's side after a moment of consideration. "Lauren," she cautioned the Melynx. "Don't you think there's something the least bit suspicious about a huge, perfect crystal just lying there for anyone to take?" Her words made Taka think; she was indeed right. He shuddered as the bad vibe coming from the cave intensified - or was the feeling coming from the crystal itself?

Suddenly, the last thing Taka wanted to do was to be near that gemstone. "Lauren, this isn't a good idea," he said, voice shaking a little. "We need to get out of here! It's dangerous!"

Lauren ignored him. The glow of the crystal seemed to be reflected in her eyes. Then she could wait no longer - she rushed over to the massive gem, dropped her staff, and began to pull it out.

"Come... to Lauren... nya!" she gasped, using all of her strength to try and budge the crystal. "Lauren, NO!" screamed Taka, suddenly realizing what the crystal really was. He ran full force at Lauren just as the geode erupted out of the ground, attached to a black, hard-shelled appendage. Taka grabbed Lauren and managed to escape just before the crystal smashed into the floor with superhuman force.

Then the sand erupted again, revealing the rest of the monster that had lay hidden beneath the earth. It was a gigantic black scorpion, with crystals decorating its head and claws. Sand poured off of its exoskeleton as it got to its feet, raising its crystalline tail above its head. Fear engulfed Taka's heart - it was an Akura Vashimu.

The massive Carapaceon screeched, the unearthly sound causing the cavern to shake and extra sand to slide down from the walls and ceiling. The trio simultaneously drew their weapons in preparation for battle. Taka caught Lauren edging back towards the exit, so he picked her up with one hand and dragged her back. "You got us into this mess," he growled. "So you're going to help us fight this menace."

Then the Akura Vashimu suddenly hissed and rushed forward, claws outstretched. Taka ducked under its front legs and swung his Longsword upwards. To his shock, the frozen blade barely made a scratch in the scorpion's tough shell. In fact, the Akura didn't even notice the attack as it crawled towards Relcia.

Relcia dodged its claw swipe and made a swipe of her own with her Wolf Tessen. The super-sharp, fan-like blades cut through the shell of its arm, but the wounds weren't deep. They dribbled blue-purple blood as the Akura hissed in pain and drew its claw back protectively.

Suddenly planting its claws and legs into the ground, the Carapaceon raised its tail and sprayed a jet of venom from its crystal. Relcia managed to avoid it, but the venom caught Lauren dead on. The high-pressure jet stuck to Lauren like glue, then rapidly hardened, encasing her in a coat of crystal. She couldn't even move as the Akura Vashimu scuttled towards her, ready to strike.

Taka swung his Blango Decimator in a wide arc, making an elegant swipe at the monster. Although the wound barely damaged its target, the Akura noticed the freezing touch of the blade. Halting its advance on the helpless Lauren, it swung its tail at Taka, throwing him to the side. Then it jumped to face him, raising its tail once more.

Seeing the huge crystal held high and at the ready, Taka quickly rolled to the side. The Akura's tail struck the spot where he had been with incredible force, throwing up a huge cloud of sand as it crashed into the ground. Then he was forced to roll again as the Akura continually struck at him with its tail, pounding the floor again and again as it kept missing.

Finally, Taka's exhaustion caused him to only manage a half-roll, not quite enough to avoid the crushing crystal. With ridiculous speed, the Akura Vashimu whipped its tail out once more, bringing it over its head like the previous times. A split second away from being crushed, Taka was miraculously saved by Lauren, who had recovered from her crystallized state and who shoved him out of the way at the last second.

As the frustrated scorpion chittered its rage, Taka painfully got up and met Lauren's eyes. "Thanks," he said to her. "It's my duty, master," Lauren replied. "And... I'm sorry, nya."

Taka ruffled the fur on her head and picked up his Blango Decimator, ready to battle once more. He raced towards the fight, towards Relcia dealing quick slashes with her Dual Swords and dodging repeated strikes from the Akura's tail and claws.

The Carapaceon didn't see Taka coming until it was too late. Taka triggered the Spirit Blade power by focusing his inner strength on the Longsword. The icy blade glowed a flaming red as it became charged with energy. Taka swung it multiple times in a second, marveling as he always did as it became stronger and lighter.

The Akura Vashimu screamed as the powerful Longsword slashed it. Blue blood sprayed from its wounds as it staggered backwards, trying to get away from Taka and his destructive weapon. Flailing its claws, it managed to disrupt Taka's assault by smacking the Longsword out of his hands.

Now unarmed, it was Taka's turn to retreat as the Akura advanced on him. A swing of its tail brought Relcia to her knees as she tried to defend him. The Carapaceon backed Taka against a wall with no possible way to escape.

Suddenly, a memory burst forth in Taka's mind. It was the memory of a battle from last year - the Vengeful Gobul advancing on him and Illeera, about to devour both of them. Taka remembered that he had used his incredible Thunder abilities to kill the awful Leviathan.

Taka had nothing to lose, so he searched within his consciousness, looking for that single spark that had changed the entire battle. This time, the spark was right where he needed it to be. _Am I getting better at controlling this amazing ability?_ he wondered briefly, as his hand began to crackle with electricity.

Multiple eyes widening at this show of power, the Akura Vashimu didn't have any time to run. Taka released a massive lightning bolt that slammed into it, repeatedly shocking it as the voltage shot through its body. When the Carapaceon had stopped moving, Taka called his power back with some difficulty.

But the Akura wasn't dead. Indeed, unbeknownst to Taka, it was feared in the Great Frontier for its immunity to all elements. The monster twitched, then regained the use of its limbs. It crawled once again at Taka, who looked thunderstruck at the ineffectiveness at his assault.

From behind the Akura Vashimu, Relcia was desperate to save Taka. The wounds that she dealt with her Dual Swords were doing nothing, and even though the Akura was weakening from blood loss, it wouldn't die just yet, or even at all.

She stopped as she suddenly felt something deep inside of her. It felt like a stray ripple on the surface of a puddle. She realized right then and there that it was her elemental ability calling out to her - the power to control the element of Water.

Relcia seized the ripple and flung it at the Akura Vashimu. But even though she was successful in taking control of her element, her control slipped slightly. Instead of a bone-crushing tidal wave like she had hoped for, all that formed was a much smaller wave of water. It simply washed over the Akura, cleaning the stray particles of sand from its exoskeleton.

Taka noticed this, and mentally groaned. But before he could squeeze his eyes shut, waiting for the Akura's final blow, he realized something. Thought was deed, and he dove once again into his consciousness, again searching for that spark.

This time, he felt it immediately, harnessing the energy into one blast. The resultant thunderbolt flew from his hand and crashed into the Akura Vashimu with twice the force as the previous one.

Ordinarily, even the increased power of the bolt wouldn't have stopped a monster resistant to the Thunder element. But covered with water as it was, the voltage was amplified tenfold. The Akura gave a mind-ripping screech of agony and echoed again and again off of the cavern walls, spasming wildly as the electricity caused its internal systems to run out of control.

Then, the scorpion crashed to the ground with a thud, giving one final spasmodic struggle before finally flipping onto its back and curling up its legs and tail. Taka drew the energy back within him and joined Relcia in examining the Akura Vashimu. It was truly dead this time.

"Come on," sighed Taka exhaustedly. "Let's get out of here and find somewhere to seek shelter." With that, he, Relcia, and Lauren all exited the cavern, headed for the surface of the Desert.

-.-.-.-.-.

The party of three decided to stop for the night after their little adventure. It was almost midnight by the time they resurfaced from the underground cavern. They found a comfortable spot to rest underneath a rocky overhang on the side of a cliff.

Taka shivered and moved closer to the fire that they had built, trying to keep warm. Lauren had already fallen asleep, purring softly as she slept near the fire pit. Relcia had her arm around Taka, gently leaning against him. They had taken off their armor in preparation for sleep, and were just wearing their regular clothes.

"Oh, I'm freezing," Taka moaned. "Why did we have to run out of Hot Drinks?" Relcia looked at him skeptically. "You're the one who packed," she said. "You should have been better prepared."

There were a few moments of silence as they retreated into their thoughts. "You know, Taka," Relcia said suddenly. "I've been thinking." Taka turned his head slightly to face her. "Go on..." he encouraged her.

"I've been thinking about the White Fatalis," Relcia murmured. "Do you really think it's as powerful as they say?" Taka thought about his answer before he said anything. "That it's powerful enough to destroy an army of hunters single-handedly?" he replied. "I don't know. Seeing as how nobody's been able to slay it after centuries of trying, that's probably the case." He paused and asked, "Why?"

Relcia took a deep, shuddering breath as she drew closer to Taka. The cold was clearly getting to her. "I also thought about how Tartu wanted to rule over all of the regions with the power of Renalimas to back him up," she went on, then snorted. "He'd never have been able to pull it off."

Taka glanced at her worriedly. It wasn't like Relcia to sneer at others, even if that person was Tartu. He began to once again feel that unnatural vibe radiating from her. "There's more, isn't there?" he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the rest.

But Relcia nodded anyway and continued with her thoughts. "But what if he had the White Fatalis?" she mused. "Then, he'd probably take over the known world without any doubt." Taka found himself agreeing. With the most powerful Elder Dragon ever known under their control, then Tartu and Mylie would be unstoppable.

"So I was thinking," Relcia went on, lowering her voice. "What if _we_ took control of the White Fatalis before Tartu did?" Taka's heart grew still. He couldn't believe he was hearing this. He looked into Relcia's eyes and saw that they had a malicious twinkle in them. He felt the weird vibe again, this time more than ever.

"If we had the White Fatalis on our side, we'd be able to crush Tartu and Mylie," Relcia said, her tone taking on an undercurrent of excitement - but not of the good kind. "But why stop there? We'd destroy anything that ever tried to harm us."

She pushed herself closer to Taka and whispered, "Who knows... maybe we'd end up taking over the Great Frontier."

Taka's spirit froze. Now he finally realized what Tartu had done to her. _Good Gobul hide, _he thought dazedly. _Tartu's turned Relcia evil._ He shot another nervous glance at her - she was waiting with that evil sparkle in her eyes, waiting for Taka's response.

"I don't know," he finally said. "We came here so you could be healed, not to take control of a legendary Elder Dragon and conquer everything in our path." In the back of his mind, he knew that he needed to reach the Tower and heal Relcia more than ever.

Relcia herself drew back a little bit, giving Taka a calculating stare. "Alright," she said. "I just thought that you should hear what's been on my mind." She hugged him a little tighter and went on, almost to herself, "I feel fine. I don't need to be healed."

Taka desperately wanted to believe that, but he knew that her ailment was worse than he had ever suspected.? _She's right about one thing,_ he thought. _We need to find the White Fatalis. The more quickly we get to the Tower, the better._

He realized that Relcia was speaking to him again. "One more thing," she said softly. "Remember how every time we have a bit of alone time together, something always interrupts us?"

Taka was relieved that she had changed the subject. "Yes," he confirmed, nodding his head. "There was the Agsolestea and Dark Agsolestea in the Forested Spring, then the Deviljho, then Ignatius, and then our friend Helix the Moardea."

Drawing closer to him once again, Relcia slipped an arm around his neck. "Annoying, isn't it?" she asked. "But this time... this time we don't have anyone around to disturb us."

With that, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, placing her other hand on Taka's cheek. His eyes involuntarily closed as he embraced her, feeling with a warm heart her soft, warm lips as she kissed him tenderly.

In that moment, Taka didn't care that Relcia had turned evil. That was the last thing on his mind. Her love for him remained intact, and that was all that really mattered.

-.-.-.-.-.

Every being has a bit of darkness inside him or her, a kind of malevolent energy that brings with it greed, anger, hate, and other negative emotions. Luckily, most beings' spirits are mostly light, a benevolent energy that repels the darkness and keeps peace within that being's soul.

But what most people don't know is that the darkness can spread. If someone is exposed to a negative influence, the darkness can absorb the light within that person's soul, eventually eating it away entirely and corrupting the spirit.

As Taka remained within Relcia's passionate embrace, with nearly undetectable progress, the darkness within began to devour the light.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Things are looking dark, and getting darker. Can they reach the White Fatalis in time and cure themselves of this blight?**

**Only time will tell, so in the meantime, wait patiently and leave a review!**

**TRIVIA: Akura Vashimu is the first insect-like monster in Monster Hunter that limps when close to death, produces a deafening roar, and can have its tail severed and carved. It's also the first scorpion-like monster in Monster Hunter.**

**Typical MH Frontier - always giving these unique edges to their monsters.**


	7. The Mysterious Wyvern's Assault

**Back to Taka's pursuers! They were so close to reaching him, and now they have even farther to travel...**

-.-.-.-.-.

"Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me!" Elric suddenly exclaimed. He and his comrades, Illeera and Tenris, were about midway across the great grassland towards Castle Schrade. Now, he peered through his binoculars in order to take a closer look at the castle in the distance.

"What is it?" asked Illeera, eyebrows raised at his exasperated tone. Elric lowered the binoculars and replied, "Taka and Relcia are leaving Castle Schrade... and are going toward the Desert!"

Tenris groaned. "Deeper into the Great Frontier?" she said. "Have they lost their sense of direction?" Illeera silenced them with a wave of their hand. "No," she told them. "There has to be a reason why they are doing this. Taka would never do something this dangerous, or foolish, without a good reason."

Elric jumped into the conversation. "Well, good reason or not," he piped up, putting the binoculars away, "we need to catch up with them. If we keep moving, we should be able to meet up with them sooner or later."

Illeera checked the position of the sun - it was around early-to-mid-afternoon, it seemed. "We should have plenty of time before nightfall to cover as much ground as we can," she said. "Come on, and get your Cool Drinks ready." The three of them began to move forward once more, in search of their friends.

-.-.-.-.-.

The sun was setting as they made their way into the Desert. The sheer silence of the environment disturbed them - the only noise came from the crickets and the wind. Now that Illeera thought about it, though, the wind seemed to be getting stronger. _It's probably my imagination_, she thought dismissively. _Nothing more_.

"I don't understand how they could have just disappeared," complained Elric. "Look - from here, you can see miles and miles of nothing but sand and rocks. Where could they have gone?"

Tenris stopped walking for a second or two, stretching her aching legs. "I don't care. We can search all we want tomorrow. I'm taking a rest before I drop dead from exhaustion." Elric was about to angrily protest, but Illeera nodded her agreement. "We have traveled a very long way on foot," she stated. "It would be wise to stop for the night and get plenty of much-needed sleep for tomorrow."

They set up camp, using a large cluster of boulders for shelter. Tenris built a fire from the few sticks she had gathered in the Great Forest, and they all shared a meal that they had packed previously - Gargwa legs, left over from a few days ago. Illeera was struck with the bittersweet memory of the conversation that they had with Taka back then.

_"Did anyone ever tell you that you eat like a Bird Wyvern?" Elric asked. "No, but then again, I LOOK like a Bird Wyvern," replied Taka, laughing._

Illeera felt tears sting her eyes. Taka was her best friend, and the thought of him journeying into this deadly region made her feel very, very frightened. _I hope I can see you again soo, Taka,_ she wished sadly. _Then I won't have to worry about such things._

The wind suddenly picked up, growing louder and louder as it became progressively stronger. "Thank goodness we're sheltered behind these rocks," Elric sighed, curling into a sleeping position. Illeera, all of a sudden, caught sight of sand flying in the wake of the gale-force wind. "You're going to be even more thankful in a minute," she said grimly.

Now the storm reached its peak, turning into a huge sandstorm that seemed to block everything from view. They party wasn't even touched by the wind and sand, but they could feel it nonetheless. Tenris shivered as the fire that they had constructed was blown out. Elric and Illeera huddled close together, trying to protect each other in case the wind suddenly turned around and blew the storm right in their faces.

The sandstorm raged literally all night. The relentless wind blew on and on, until the group began to grow used to it. Eventually, they decided that they should try and get some rest, shielded from the worst of the elements as they were. They curled up into tight balls, trying to remain warm and safe behind their barrier.

Finally, they were lulled to sleep by the consistency of the howling storm's noise. As they slept on, they didn't notice the storm die down at last, leaving the rocks and bushes that had been exposed to it to be buried under dunes of sand.

-.-.-.-.-.

Daytime revealed a completely changed landscape. The sandstorm had wiped away whole sand dunes, only to replace them with new ones, set in totally different locations. If it weren't for the tall cliffs and large boulders dotting the area, there would have been no landmarks at all.

Illeera, Tenris, and Elric continued trudging across the sandy terrain, occasionally taking a gulp of Cool Drink. The desert heat was sweltering, and nothing moved. All of the monsters had retreated to the safety of the caverns to avoid the heat. Well, all except the Apceros - those Herbivores remained in loose herds to graze on what little vegetation they could find.

Suddenly, the herds began to roar and groan, rearing up on their hind legs and sniffing the air. Illeera became suspicious - the late Bronton had taught her that monsters had much better senses than humans did, and could thus detect subtle changes in the environment much quicker than any hunter could.

Now, the Apceros herds scattered, fleeing across the land and heading for the caves. Now Tenris and Elric began to realize that something was up. Both scanned the horizon for any signs of trouble. But while they had their eyes on the land, Illeera had hers on the sky. With a gasp, she picked out a single black shape in the otherwise calm blue yonder, heading right for them.

"Look out!" she cried to her companions before diving to the ground. The other two did the same as the unknown creature landed right where they had been standing. It skidded to a halt on the sandy earth with the force of an earthquake and craftily observed the three humans it had scattered in its wake.

Illeera and the others had never seen anything like this beast. It was clearly a Flying Wyvern - a Rathian to be precise. But its scales were a pitch black tone, and instead of toxic barbs, it had huge red spines on its tail and wings. The Rathian was bigger than any other Rathian that any of them had ever seen, and it now glared at them with blood-red eyes, sizing them up.

A primal fear took hold of Illeera as she remembered something about this beast. The Elder had once told her and her friends about the monsters inhabiting the Great Frontier. He had mentioned a monster that had lived on Earth since the dawn of time, a wyvern so ferocious that everything lived in instinctive fear of it. Although extremely rare, this creature had all the powers of a regular Rathian, but its strength had been enhanced by the gods themselves upon creation. This monster had taught subsequent generations of Rathian the measure of its abilities, but these skills had apparently been forgotten by all except itself.

It was the Ancient Rathian, the beast said to have come from hell itself. It was death given form, and now it blocked the trio's progress.

The Ancient Rathian growled, a deep, almost prehistoric sound that somehow reflected how truly ancient this monster was. And only Illeera was able to understand it, being the only one of the three that could interpret the monster language.

Unnervingly, she was speaking to them, not herself. _What have we here?_ she said menacingly. _Three little hunters who have lost their way? Pity - do you even know where you are going? Well, I do, and I would be more than happy to help you get there._

She giggled, a horrid sound that grated in Illeera's ears. But Illeera got the monster's hint. As if it weren't obvious enough, the Rathian was here to kill them.

"Come on, we need to get out of here," Illeera whispered to Tenris and Elric, and they nodded their clear agreement. As one, they drew their weapons and slowly backed away from the Ancient Rathian, ready to either flee or attack at a moment's notice.

With a roar, the Rathian jumped into the sky, clumsily flapping her wings. Before anyone could react, she rocketed down to the ground, landing with such force that she got her talons stuck in the ground! Cracks radiated out from the impact site, catching the three hunters off balance.

Growling in frustration, the Rathian gave a mighty pull, and she finally got herself free from the ground. She once again rose into the sky, flinging massive chunks of earth and rock into the air in the process. The rubble rained down among the trio, causing them to panic, running around and trying to avoid the incoming boulders.

Illeera took careful aim with her Sonic Bow IV, then shot a flurry of arrows at the Ancient Rathian, too fast for the eye to see. However, the Rathian shrugged off the electrical impacts like a gentle spring rain and dove once more, this time at an angle. Her claws skimmed the ground, straight at Illeera. She just managed to dodge by the skin of her teeth.

The Rathian ended up right beside Tenris. She quickly lashed out with her Qurupeco Chopper, dealing three blows in the space of a second, before leaping back when the wyvern snapped at her, flames gushing from her mouth. She was then forced to run as the Rathian charged full force at her, jaws wide open.

The Rathian was unable to stop in time, and tripped over her own feet. As she hit the ground face-first, Elric swung his Khezu Shock Sword, which hit one of the wyvern's tail spikes, slicing it off. Angry now, the Rathian quickly turned, lashing out with her tail and throwing Elric to the ground.

As Illeera and Tenris rushed to his defense, the Ancient Rathian stood with one talon clamped around his torso as if guarding him. Illeera launched another arrow, this one dipped in Paralysis Coating. Although unable to pierce the Rathian's scales, it distracted her long enough for Tenris to leap in with a single slash from her sword, the pain causing the monster to instinctively back away from Elric.

A red aura suddenly appeared from thin air and wrapped itself around the Ancient Rathian. She roared, the guttural sound causing their very souls to quake in fear. They simultaneously clamped their hands over their ears and saw the Rathian's already-red eyes begin to glow with a rage even fiercer than before.

Dunking another two arrows in Paralysis Coating, Illeera twisted her body out of the way of a sudden fireball, shot straight from the Rathian's mouth. Her heart grew cold at the sight of the flame - it was a bluish-white color, and deep black in the center. It didn't seem natural, and yet it was. That's what was so frightening about it.

The Ancient Rathian lunged forwards, hip thrown out and prepared to squarely tackle Illeera. She barely managed to jump out of the way of the hip check and shot three more arrows at the monster's exposed side. The Rathian began to jerk around spasmodically as the paralyzing toxins the arrows were coated in flowed through her system.

The three hunters charged, raising their weapons and yelling battle cries. It was their intention to hurt and scare the Rathian, as they hoped to use the sharp edge of their weapons and the volume of their voices to frighten her off.

But just as they reached the wyvern, the paralysis began to play havoc with the Rathian's horrible gas ducts, which were hidden on the underside of her wings and belly. White smoke began to hiss out of them uncontrollably, cloaking the four beings within its hazy cloud. The trio instantly backed away, coughing. They started to grow weaker as the gas sapped their strength.

By this time, the Ancient Rathian had broken free of her immobility and struck back at her victims with a vengeance. She let loose with all of the fire inside of her, blending every scrap of power into a destructive beam of fury and death. The beam, black in the centre and ghostly blue on the edges, was so strong that it swept curtains of sand off of the ground and instantly ignited the nearby shrubs.

The amount of sand blown into the air around the battlefield was so great, even the keen, deadly observant eyes of the Rathian couldn't see a thing. And when they could again, they widened. _Impossible! _she hissed furiously. _Mere humans couldn't possibly stand against my power!_

Indeed, Elric had used the size and weight of his Khezu Shock Sword to shield the two girls from the fiery beam. The sheer strength of the beam had pushed him back at least ten feet, but in the end, his determination and resolve had won out. Now he stepped out from behind the massive, charred Greatsword, looking tired but otherwise perfectly okay.

Surprisingly swiftly, the Rathian forgot her shock and descended into a terrible anger. Screeching so loudly that pebbles fell from the cliffs in the distance, she rose majestically into the air, an intricate red pattern blooming on her great wings. Illeera took aim once more and fired another flurry of arrows, hoping to knock her from the sky.

But she was too late. The Ancient Rathian maneuvered around the projectiles and continuously rained phantasmic fireballs down upon them, aiming at nothing. It was her strategy to fire random flames to keep the miserable hunter vermin running. Bunched up together and in a state of panicked fear, they were easy pickings.

The wyvern swooped once more, successfully snatching Tenris in her talons. A single snarl issued from her jaws as she started to fly off with the girl. "Tenris, NO!" cried Elric in a mixture of horror and fury, sheathing his weapon and running with all of his might.

The Rathian was steadily climbing higher, wings wheeling awkwardly as she tried to get airborne again. Elric ran up a slanted boulder and jumped off the edge with all his might, hand desperately outstretched. By pure luck, he managed to firmly grab one of the monster's tail spines.

Hauling himself up, Elric acquired a straddled position on the Rathian's tail. Taking out his trusty carving knife ("A hunter never leaves home without it," he often said proudly), he raised it and then plunged it down into the monster's flesh.

The Ancient Rathian felt the sharp pain and reflexively dropped Tenris. She fell twenty-five feet before landing with a gentle thud on the soft sand. Unfortunately, she caught the attention of a wandering school of Cephalos, and the curious (and hungry) Piscene Wyverns zeroed in on her location.

Meanwhile, Elric was repeatedly stabbing the Rathian's tail and interfering with her ability to fly straight. She was forced to land, blood running down from her multiple wounds, and Elric immediately jumped off and joined his sister and Illeera.

The first Cephalos came out from the sand, catching them all off guard. Tenris instantly slashed at it with her Qurupeco Chopper, slicing through its fin and causing it to squeal. Blood splattered across the sand, and the frenzied wyvern school surfaced, hoping to grab a bite of fresh hunter for lunch.

The Ancient Rathian hadn't flown off yet, and charged through the school's midst, scattering them in her path. The trio of friends separated, then drew back together as she passed, all moving at once.

This time, the Rathian didn't trip. She did a quick 180-degree jump, skidding to a halt. She jumped again, hovering a few feet above the earth. In a completely unexpected move, she released a single curtain of fire, and then swiped inwardly with her wing, causing several of her wing spines to fly off at ridiculous speeds. The spines flew so fast, they swept through the flames and came out crackling with heat.

It was under this barrage of blue flame and whistling spines that the Ancient Rathian flew off on silent wings, dark blood dripping constantly from her scars, having had more than enough.

The spikes streaked through the contingent of hunters and Cephalos, causing them to scatter and flee. But one spine hit its target - Illeera. The burning spike embedded itself in her arm, and she hit the ground with a shriek. The terrible venom carried in the spine oozed out and into Illeera's bloodstream, and the flames licked at her Zinogre armor and the skin exposed underneath.

Tenris forcefully pulled the spine out, ignoring the burns that seared her hands. Elric forced Illeera's head up, digging in his item pouch for the antidote for the Rathian's poison. Finding it, he tore the cap off with his teeth and held the bottle to Illeera's mouth. The purple fluid washed down her throat, dribbling a little across her chin.

As one, they all sighed. Illeera weakly touched Elric's face and breathed, "Thank... you..." before collapsing into unconsciousness.

The siblings decided that they should find another shelter, in order to give Illeera some urgently-required rest.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Yeah, life in the Great Frontier is certainly dangerous. But just how dangerous it can get is yet to be revealed...**

**See you soon for the next exciting chapter!**

**TRIVIA: Warning - the next chapter is very, very dark.**


	8. Out of the Desert, Into Dondruma

**As I said in the previous chapter, this one is very dark. Literally.**

**If you're squeamish or just don't like blood or violence, I'd recommend skipping this chapter.**

**You have been warned.**

-.-.-.-.-.

The wind was rushing through Taka's face as he flapped steadily away from the Desert and onto their next destination. He had taken the form of a powerful Frontier wyvern called a Berukyurosu, a monster feared in these parts for not only its power, but its intelligence. Indeed, Berukyurosus were the only recorded wyverns capable of speaking both the human and monster languages.

Relcia and Lauren were crouched on his back, trying to avoid the uncomfortable wind as best as they could. Strangely, Relcia had insisted that he become, not a full-sized wyvern, but a much smaller version of one. His current Berukyurosu form was only a third of the size of a regular one. Relcia's stated reason, when Taka asked why she had insisted this, was because a small wyvern would have a better chance of going unnoticed than a large one.

It was to Dondruma Town they flew, and Taka now reflected on the peculiar and quite ominous reason that they were headed there: they needed information. Not only on the quickest way to reach the Tower, but on a rumor that they had heard shortly after they had begun to travel across the Desert again.

The three of them had run across a group of hunters, and had been seen. They had been pretty much forced to stop and talk, and what Taka, Relcia, and Lauren had heard was disturbing. The hunters had said that shortly before they had taken their current hunting request (Taka thought it was a Diablos hunt, but couldn't quite remember), the Guildmaster of the Frontier Hunter's Guild had been found murdered in his quarters. And now Dondruma Town had a new leader - Tartu.

Taka didn't want to believe this, but something told him that the hunters were telling the truth. So he, Lauren, and Relcia decided to go to Dondruma Town themselves and find out if this was true or not.

It was a risky strategy. If Tartu, and undoubtedly Mylie, were running the place, then Taka and Relcia would have a battalion of hunters on their tails in no time flat. That was why they decided to lay low and sneak through the back alleys, avoiding the local authorities and, especially, the local hunters.

Taka was brought back to attention when Relcia leaned down and gently patted his neck. "I can see Dondruma on the horizon," she said in his ear. "You should prepare to land soon." With an affirmative nod, Taka increased his flying speed, dead set on the city that was indeed looming ahead of them.

-.-.-.-.-.

It was Taka's first time in a city, and he didn't like it. Not only was he put off by the noise, the crowds, and the buildings that seemed to close in on him, but he was still in his wyvern form, and his instincts caused his hatred of enclosed, crowded places to intensify.

He had landed in what looked like a small cleft in the artificial canyons, a tiny little space. It was closely surrounded by four buildings, which cast shadows over the entire place. Taka noticed with a wrinkled nose that they had landed in what looked like a waste disposal site. Garbage littered the ground, and he could see dozens of rats and even the occasional Felyne rummaging through the trash, looking for food or items of interest.

The building straight ahead of Taka's current line of sight had a door, which was presumably used by the people inside to dump out their garbage. A strong smell of alcohol pervaded the entire space, leading Taka to assume that the aforementioned building was in fact a tavern.

Relcia seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion. "There's nothing better than a tavern for acquiring information," she said slyly. "Lauren and I will enter and try to... extract... some information from the locals. You stay here."

Taka nodded - it wouldn't do to walk around Dondruma in his Berukyurosu guise. He could just shapeshift back into his normal, Rathian-armor-clad human form, but then again, taverns were unpredictable places and he may need to defend himself more efficiently.

He followed Relcia and Lauren into a claustrophobically small alley between the tavern and the building next to it, just big enough for a wyvern of his size to squeeze through. He poked his head out and watched Relcia and Lauren disappear around the side. _I hope they'll be alright..._ he thought, then tried to relax. Relcia could take care of herself easily enough, but ever since the revalation that she had become evil, Taka was reluctant to let her out of his sight.

Unfortunately, as he busied himself with observing the locals walking up and down the streets, two hunters came bumbling out from the tavern. They were clearly tipsy, and would sometimes stumble over the rough ground on which they walked. One of them could barely hold his Dual Swords, one of which was in his hand for some reason, the other put away on his back.

"Oy!" he said, noticing Taka's head peeking out from the alley. "Thats a wyvern, it is! Should we kill it?" His partner seemed to have some difficulty thinking straight. Finally, he nodded thoughtfully and replied. "Yeah, I suppose we should. After all, it's a shrimpy one, so it shouldn't give us trouble anyhow."

The two hunters drew their weapons and advanced on the pretty much cornered Taka. He growled threateningly, and then an idea suddenly came to mind as he backed farther into the alley. He shot straight up into the air, not difficult for a Berukyurosu, even in an enclosed space, and landed on his taloned feet with a thud behind them. The townsfolk gasped and screamed at the sudden presence of what appeared to be an undersized wyvern.

_Hurry up, please, Relcia..._ urged Taka from within his head. _I don't want to have to defend myself..._ Nevertheless, he had to as one of the hunters swung his massive Hammer at Taka's head. He jumped once more into the air, and instinctively lashed out with a wing ribbon. The clawed tip sliced through the hunter's armor and gashed his side. He gasped, too frightened (and too drunk) to react as the now-annoyed Taka advanced on him.

Taka didn't know anything about the darkness spreading inside of him, yet it was there. The scent of the hunter's blood caused his dark side, now much larger and more powerful from the extensive time he had been spending with Relcia, to cry out and demand the hunter's instant death. Taka suddenly stopped advancing, struggling with this sudden urge - his light side was still in control for now.

The Hammer smashed into Taka's face, causing him to squawk loudly and stagger away from the hunter. The other one, incredibly, put away his Dual Swords and began to beat him with his bare hands. The man clamped his arms around Taka's muzzle and physically threw his head down onto the pavement. Taka's body was forced down with it. A strangled growl escaped from Taka's mouth as he desperately tried to free himself.

The sight of the tavern's door opening caused a new wave of panic within him. Taka managed to stand up and throw the hunter to the ground, ready to fly. But the person emerging from the building was Relcia. She instantly took note of the situation and drew her Wolf Tessen threateningly, holding one up to the Hammer-wielder's throat.

"Get away from him," she snarled. The hunter didn't look pleased to be bossed around by a teenage girl. "Are ye mad, lass?" he growled. "That there's a Berukyurosu, the scourge of the Great Frontier. It'll rip ye limb from limb!"

Relcia pressed her blade closer to his throat, and the sharp edge cut it slightly, causing a single drop of blood to drip out from a fresh, tiny cut on his neck. "I wasn't making a request," she said in an ominous whisper. "I said get away from him."

The hunter scowled, temper rising fast (helped by the massive amount of alcohol in his system). "Make me!" he shouted, pushing Relcia away and half-running, half-stumbling to finish Taka off. He never made it. Relcia recovered her balance, and the hunter made it two steps before her Wolf Tessen sang through the air. A massive spurt of blood flew through the air from the hunter's neck, sliced clean through as if it were nothing.

The hunter hit the ground, dead in the space of a second. Taka was totally, completely shocked at the sheet brutality of the events that had taken place so rapidly. He was torn as to how to feel about this - his light side was horrified, and also a little nauseated, and his dark side was very impressed.

Somehow, the man's comrade had not noticed the blood of his clearly dead friend staining the ground (and his armor), and drew his Dual Swords, prepared to take down the wyvern that stood in front of him. "Don't move another step," warned Relcia with a malicious grin, "or I'll carve you up."

The man snorted with mirth, flecks of saliva speckling the cobblestones in front of him. "You don't have the guts, girl," he said. Relcia's eyes darkened - even if he had noticed the subtle change, he never would have foreseen what happened next. Relcia's own Dual Swords once again slashed through the air, and before he knew it, his intestines were spilling onto the ground in front of him.

Now Taka was utterly flabbergasted. His maw hung open as he gawked at Relcia. _She's changed,_ he thought, once more half-horrified, half-impressed. Calmly putting away her bloody Dual Swords, Relcia adjusted her Rathian helm and smiled knowingly at Taka. This time Taka's dark side was stronger, and he smiled back.

The gathered crowd's reaction was somewhat more dramatic, however. Several people turned away to vomit, and there were a lot of gasps and fainting spells as well. Taka's sharp wyvern eyes picked out at least three townsfolk running off, presumably to alert the authorities.

"We'd better leave," he warned Relcia in a whisper. "You can't keep something like this a secret, and with our luck, Tartu and Mylie themselves will be coming here in person to see to our arrest." Relcia simply smirked evilly. "Who says we're going to let ourselves be arrested?" she said, gathering the unconscious Lauren in her arms (she had been one of the beings to faint at the sight of Relcia's attack).

Striding towards Taka in order to climb up on his back and escape, Relcia stopped dead as a hand clasped her shoulder. She turned slowly to see a hunter standing there, who had presumably come out from the tavern to see what all the commotion was about. He looked like he was in his late teens, slightly cross-eyed and paler than a Gigginox - obviously, he had drank too much ale in one sitting.

Taka, whose light side was strong enough to prevent him hurting innocent bystanders, was about to gently push him away with his tail, when he noticed that the hunter hadn't even seen him yet. His attention was focused on Relcia, and most likely the sleeping Melynx in her arms.

"Hey girl," he said in a slurred yet chatty voice. "Why don't ya come in and share a cup with me, eh? Get to know each other, like." Relcia gave him a weird look and backed away towards Taka. "No thanks," she answered coolly.

"No need to be afraid," he laughed, flecks of saliva flying from his mouth as he did so. "I don't bite." He laughed some more and drew a little nearer to Relcia. "No, but he does," she replied harshly, jerking a thumb at Taka. "And if you don't get away from me in five seconds..."

She never got to finish her sentence, as the hunter squinted at Taka as if half-blind. "That beast's yours?" he slurred, almost dreamily. "Good with monsters, are ya? I like that in a woman..." he trailed off and took another step closer to Relcia.

It was then that Taka realized that a soft, angry hiss was being emitted from between his clenched fangs, getting louder in volume with each word out of the hunter's mouth. His dark side was rising again, coming to Relcia's defense against this idiotic piece of Brachydios slime.

"Another step forward..." Relcia was saying, clearly about to commit another murder. But again, she never got to finish her sentence - the hunter impulsively leaned forward and kissed her.

Taka's blood pressure shot up in an instant, and a ferocious snarl twisted his already monstrous face. His angry hiss became an enraged growl, and the shocked citizens started to back away cautiously. But he didn't move. He wanted Relcia safely beside him before he did what he dearly wanted to do.

Finally, Relcia forced herself away from the stranger and speed-walked up to Taka's side. There was a furious light in her eyes, leaving no doubt about what she was going to say next. "Taka," she ordered in a voice tight with anger, "kill him."

Needing no further goading, Taka lunged forward, a deafening roar tearing its way out of his throat. Two paces took him right to the thunderstruck hunter, who was roughly seized in his jaws. Taka threw his head back and released his grip, sending the hunter screaming into the air.

But he wasn't finished yet. Taka himself rose into the air, slowly and strongly beating his mighty wings, wing ribbons flowing elegantly in the wind. However, it was a deadly elegance - Taka gave a single flick of his wing, sending one ribbon snapping straight up like a whip. The clawed tip met its mark dead-on - it punched through the airborne hunter's armor and then his flesh, then ripped a massive crevice upwards up to his neck.

Taka and the hunter landed at the same time, one safely, and one with a crash. But the hunter wasn't dead; indeed, the huge amount of alcohol in his system had slowed his blood flow, preventing him from bleeding to death right away. His dark red blood oozed out like tree sap, and he convulsed with each breath, in clear agony from the gash that ran from his colon to his throat.

The shapeshifter, with the dangerous rage of a Berukyurosu powering each move, slowly advanced on the dying hunter. His wrathful eyes met the hunter's terrified ones. Taka stopped with one taloned foot on the hunter's slashed abdomen, and bent down so that his maw was almost touching the hunter's face. He flinched, afraid of what he feared Taka could possibly do next.

It was worse than he thought. Taka reached with his undersized jaws into the hunter's chest cavity, and with a single twist of his head, ripped out his heart.

Seeing that the hunter was still alive, albeit barely, he raised his head, giving everyone watching a clear view of the still-pulsating organ trapped between his fangs. With agonizing slowness, his jaws opened, allowing the beating heart to slide to the back of his mouth. Taka swallowed the organ whole, feeling it slowly move down his throat. And he knew that his victim could see the bulge it made travelling downwards, down into Taka's own innards.

His tongue slipped out from between his now-closed jaws and flicked at a trickle of blood that had dripped down his muzzle. The hunter, physically and psychologically damaged, closed his eyes and gave up whatever hope he still had of living. His slow, painful breaths stopped.

Taka swore he could feel the darkness within him running with his blood through his veins. He retreated from the carcass with tense muscles, tense from the unrelenting anger that fueled his movements, the same anger that was directed at the dead hunter for his actions against Relcia.

With effort, he willed the darkness and fury back, and light once again dominated him. But barely - the killing he had done influenced the darkness to take a huge bite from the light, before continuing to nibble at its edges. Indeed, Taka was more evil than he ever was, and steadily becoming even more so.

Relcia silently climbed up on his back and gently wrapped her arms around his neck. "We should go," she whispered to him. "I got the information we needed. We have to continue onwards toward the Tower." Taka nodded numbly, and powerfully flapped into the air, soaring out and away from Dondruma Town.

Guilt and shame dominated Taka's heart. Guilt for what he had done, and shame for what he felt. The dark part of him felt satisfied and even elated, and worse still, the light part of him felt satisfied as well. Both sides told him that he had done the right thing, defending Relcia like that.

Unconsciously, he asked Relcia for confirmation. "Did I do the right thing back there?" he asked as the sounds of the city behind them disappeared. "Was it right to kill that hunter?"

Relcia tightened her grip around his neck and leaned in nearer to his ear. "Yes," she breathed. "You had no choice. And I am very proud of you." She quickly kissed him on the top of his crested head.

A purr of pleasure escaped Taka's mouth, and he flew on with new strength, born from the faith that Relcia had in him. But was that faith good? Taka thought so, but anyone else would think differently.

The darkness was quickening its conquest of Taka's soul.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I warned you.**

**On a lighter note, that's about how bloody/violent my fanfics get. So you don't have to worry.**

**Taka's joining the dark side, and you'll have to wait and see if he reaches his goal in time...**

**See ya!**

**TRIVIA: Never get on Taka's bad side. There, I said it.**


	9. Blue Fury! Bloody Demon!

**Next chapter, and I'm certainly in a good mood today! I recently finished writing MHD: The Darkness Within, which concludes the entire trilogy! I'm trying to get these chapters up on this site as fast as I can, so just bear with me for now!**

**In this chapter... yet another group joins the chase across the Great Frontier. Read on!**

-.-.-.-.-.

_Vulcan was flying, flying high above an unknown landscape. The land was rocky and dotted with shrubs. Massive waterfalls poured down from high cliffs, and the sun burned bright in the sky. Vulcan's eyes widened, for this was the most beautiful land he had ever seen._

_All of a sudden, there was a rumble of thunder. Vulcan looked back and saw storm clouds gathering impossibly fast. Soon, a downpour had started, the cold rain pelting his scales continuously. Vulcan increased his speed, hoping to find some place for him to take shelter._

_The rocky highland abruptly vanished below him as he quickly left it behind. Before him stood a massive stone tower, clearly in ruins but still in very good shape. Vulcan quickly rose above the clouds, breaking free of the rain. He saw the top of the Tower poking out just above the cloudline, and he prepared to land._

_Despite the absence of clouds, it was dark here. Vulcan stumbled as his talons hit the unnatural, human-made floor. He gasped - just in front of him, in the centre of the tower's platform and with his back to him, was Taka._

_"Taka!" cried Vulcan, running up to his friend with long strides. "Do you know what or where this place is?" There was no response from Taka. Vulcan was puzzled, so he repeated his question in a louder voice. When there was still no reply, Vulcan became slightly annoyed and roughly turned Taka around with his wing claw._

_Vulcan gasped in shock and horror. Taka's face became furious at the disturbance, glowing red eyes flicking up to glare into Vulcan's. The eyes radiated a feeling of pure evil._

_With a snarl, Taka became a wyvern Vulcan had never seen before. It rose into the air on strong wings, the ribbons extending from them lashing the air with every flap. A terrifying roar ensued as Taka flew forward, bent on attacking the being that once thought that the shapeshifter was his friend._

-.-.-.-.-.

Vulcan abruptly woke up, heart pounding. He looked around - he was back, safe in his nest near Mediatas Village. His two remaining children, Bront and Rell, were curled up beside him, fast asleep. Vulcan sighed and looked out at the cavern exit. From the look of things, it was almost dawn - no sense trying to go back to sleep now.

The nightmare involuntarily slithered back into Vulcan's mind, and he shuddered. But something stopped him. Something from the dream seemed to speak of something to come in the future, or perhaps even happening right now. _Taka,_ Vulcan thought, _what's happening to you?_

Suddenly, Vulcan decided right then what he was to do. He walked out of the cavern into the fresh morning atmosphere, with the usual sight of Mediatas Village in the distance. A shadow momentarily blocked out the sun, and Reia landed in front of him, a freshly-killed Aptonoth clutched in her talons. _You're up early,_ she commented dryly. _Come to help me with the hunting, then? That would be nice._

Vulcan sighed and replied, _I wish. I think something terrible is happening to Taka. He went away days ago, and hasn't been seen since. Illeera, Tenris, and Elric all went out to try and find him, but they haven't returned. I feel that something isn't right. I need to follow them, and find them, in the Great Frontier._

Reia was silent for a long time. Then she said, _I know that Taka is your best friend. I also know that you would be there for him no matter what._ She smiled and gestured with her head to the cave behind him. _I'll take over the nest for now. You find Taka and bring him and the others back._

Heart swelling with hope, Vulcan thanked his mate and flew the short distance into Mediatas Village. Syrie and Jin were there to greet him. _Morning, Vulcan! _Jin yelped. _What're you here for?_ Vulcan gave him a wry smile and told the two of them about the nightmare he had experienced.

When he was done, Syrie whispered, _This doesn't sound good. I, too, have been wondering about Taka's whereabouts. If your dream was indeed trying to tell you this... then I think we need to find him._

Vulcan nodded once determinedly. _I have already come to that conclusion, _he told her. _Taka and his friends need to be found. Jin, you're small enough to ride on my back. You'll accompany me and Syrie into the Great Frontier._

Jin all of a sudden became nervous. _I don't think that's such a good idea,_ he moaned. _I mean, the Frontier's harsh. The monsters out there would make us into Gargwa fodder if they attacked us! And a Zinogre in the Great Frontier would attract unwanted attention..._

Syrie violently snapped her tail, causing a whip-like *crack!* to echo through the still-silent village. _Enough from you, Jin_. _Illeera's your friend, and she's in trouble. If it makes you feel any safer, we'll try to spend as much time in the air as possible, in order to prevent unnecessary encounters with hostile monsters. Vulcan, when do we leave?_

It turned out to be immediately. Jin, however, requested some time to get his Thunderbugs together. Thunderbugs were tiny insects that usually flew around in small groups, producing electric shocks that could lightly zap a monster or human that tried to catch them. For some reason, they had, over millions of years, developed a symbiotic relationship with Zinogres such as Jin, nesting in the fur on their backs. Thunderbugs were the source of a Zinogre's powerful lightning abilities, as the normally harmless bugs gathered in the thousands when one of the Fanged Wyverns were near. Now, Jin already had a below-average but ample swarm nestled safely in his fur, ready to attack at his command.

Soon, Vulcan, Syrie, and Jin were well on their way to the Frontier, flying over the great river that separated the Frontier and the Central World. Their plan was to fly over the Great Forest and on to Castle Schrade, because they knew that Taka and Relcia had been headed there when they had initially left.

However, something was nagging at Vulcan - a vague feeling that tugged at the corners of his mind, telling him that this wasn't a good idea. But _why_ it wasn't a good idea, the feeling wouldn't tell. Vulcan chose to ignore it for the moment.

Vulcan noticed that, as they began to make their way over the treeline of the Great Forest, the winds were getting stronger. Indeed, it became necessary for him to fight in order to maintain his course, not easy when he had a Zinogre pup on his back. Syrie, behind him, was having even more trouble - being a Pseudowyvern and not a true Flying Wyvern, she was much less proficient in her flying abilities.

As Vulcan looked back to check if Syrie was doing all right in the increased turbulence, the Nargacuga's eyes widened at something beyond him. She shrieked something at him, but the rapidly-strengthening wind was making it impossible for him to hear anything she was saying.

Then, Jin's paw hit him on the head. At first, he grunted and shook his head in annoyance. Then as Jin's tapping became more urgent, Vulcan realized that the Fanged Wyvern was trying to tell him something. He looked back in front of him and gasped. Gathering on the horizon were massive storm clouds, and it was apparent from their size that it was too late to turn back - it was already nearly on top of them.

Vulcan was able to fly for about ten more seconds before the winds began to wreak havoc on his ability to fly. He fought as hard as he could to keep himself back up, belly down, and flying straight ahead. Jin howled in fear and clutched the shoulders of Vulcan's wings even tighter in his claws, trying to keep his position aboard the Rathalos' back.

The storm abruptly increased in strength, becoming too much for even Vulcan to handle. His wings began to tire from their frantic flapping. Vulcan's hearing began to fade, and his vision grew dim. Then, as he drifted into exhausted unconsciousness, the shrieking of the wind and the screaming of his friends faded entirely as he gave himself up to the storm.

-.-.-.-.-.

The sun was bright, and high in the sky by the time Vulcan woke up. Groaning a little, his eyes fluttered open. He was staring at a ceiling of green, with a huge, gaping hole in the middle. It took him a moment to realize that the green was actually made up of trees, and he had crashed through them.

Rocking back and forth, Vulcan was able to roll off of his back and onto his feet. He looked up through the hole he had made in the trees - there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Either he had been asleep long enough for the storm to have blown itself out, or he had, somehow, ended up a long way away from it.

Beside him, Syrie gave a yowling yawn and slowly woke up. Smacking her jaws slightly, she was instantly awake as she took in their surroundings. _Oh no,_ she breathed. _Please tell me it isn't so..._

Vulcan gazed at her intently. The Nargacuga had been born in the Great Frontier, so he was sure that she would recognize where they were. It seemed like she indeed did recognize this place, but judging from her reaction, it wasn't exactly a good spot for a picnic.

_This is Tide Island!_ she said urgently to Vulcan. _I've never seen it, but my mother told me all about it - and the dangerous beasts that inhabit it. Because of its isolation from the rest of the Frontier, its caves and forests hide monsters unlike anything seen anywhere else..._ Syrie shivered and drew her legs up underneath her, definitely uncomfortable - and frightened.

A tinny howl suddenly echoed through the forest, sounding like it was not far off. _Help!_ the voice called. _I'm trapped!_ Vulcan and Syrie instantly looked at each other. _Jin, he said grimly. And if he keeps on yelling like that, there's a good chance a Frontier monster will find him before we do._

Syrie nodded rapidly, clearly ready to get off this island as soon as possible. _It sounds like he's somewhere over in that direction,_ she told him, and scampered off toward Jin's unknown location.

Vulcan found her standing at the entrance to a cave, a cave that wound deep under the surface of Tide Island, it seemed. Although it didn't look dark, at the entrance at least, the feeling that came from the depths caused an ominous sense of fear to well up within him.

As if to confirm his fears, or perhaps test his courage, another howl emanated from the depths. Syrie sighed. _He's down in there. The storm must have flung him off your back and deep into this tunnel. Who knows what lurks in its hellish depths?_

Vulcan knew that neither one could imagine such a thing. But he had to rescue Jin, and if that meant traversing this terrifying tunnel, then that was would he would do.

-.-.-.-.-.

The first part of the cave was surprisingly bright, but still dim. Light flowed through the cracks in the greenish rocks, and the smell of rot pervaded the entire place. _There's an awful lot of moss growing here,_ worried Syrie. _Where there's plants, there's plant-eaters. And where there's plant-eaters..._ She really didn't need to finish her sentence.

They came across the first sign of monster life almost as soon as the tunnel began to wind deeper into the bowels of the earth. A small shape stood out in the dimming light, and Vulcan cautiously approached it in case it attacked. But there was no need to worry; it was a dead Bullfango.

_What could have savaged this Pelagus so badly?_ asked Syrie, voice high from her increasing fear. Indeed, the Bullfango had been torn apart, innards almost completely missing and most of its bones showing. Dried blood speckled the ground. _Let's not ask questions, _recommended Vulcan nervously. _Let's just get Jin and get out of here._

A little more walking caused the tunnel to become increasingly dimmer, and they didn't see the next Bullfango until they were almost on top of it. It was, Vulcan and Syrie realized, accompanied by two more, as well as a full-grown Bulldrome, all in as bad of a condition as the first. _I don't like this, _moaned Syrie. _Neither do I, _whispered Vulcan, _but we must forge on, for Jin's sake._

Finally, the tunnel widened into a cavern about the size of Vulcan's own back in the Central World. It was almost pitch-black within, and it was only because the floor seemed blacker that Vulcan realized that the floor was gone, and that the cavern dropped who knows how far down.

Gulping slightly to help swallow his increasing fear, Vulcan jumped off into the more black blackness, slowly flapping and making his way down. Syrie reluctantly followed, wingbeats faltering as she shivered from terror.

At the bottom, Vulcan saw that the otherwise completely dark hole was lit slightly by small blue crystals that produced light. It was still incredibly dark, but the added light certainly helped a great deal. In particular, it allowed the monster duo to see the Fanged Wyvern trapped underneath a huge pile of boulders.

_Help!_ called Jin from underneath, his head poking out from under all of the rocks. _Vulcan, Syrie, is that you? I'm trapped!_ Vulcan ran over with a couple of long strides and immediately used his head to push away with some effort the top-most boulder. _Help me lift these rocks, Syrie!_ he said urgently, to which she replied by obliging him.

As the fourth boulder clattered off onto the ground, Vulcan heard a sudden scuttling noise coming from within the shadows on the other side of the cave. A feeling of dread took hold of him, and he doubled his pace. But as he and Syrie continued their work, a sibilant voice hissed from the same corner. _No!_ it said fiercely. _The helpless one is mine!_

Vulcan roared at the top of his lungs, trying to scare away the hidden monster. But its voice spoke back, this time in a completely different corner of the cave. _You can't scare me in my own domain, _it laughed softly. _I know you can't see me._

Syrie's tail spikes sprung out as she tried to look threatening. _Then come out and show yourself!_ she called furiously. _If it's Jin you want, come out and fight for him!_

The unknown voice chuckled, the sound coming from yet another part of the cave. _Looking for a fight, then?_ it asked rhetorically. _Very well then..._ There was another scuttling sound, and the monster slowly emerged in front of them.

It was a huge, blue insectoid monster, with a round body and spear-like pincers. Several glowing blue organs studded its back, and it gazed at them with cold eyes. Syrie instinctively shrank back from it. _The Taikun Zamuza,_ she whispered. _My mother told me of ancient Carapaceons dwelling under Tide Island, living longer than most Elder Dragons and only showing themselves when provoked... This is the worst luck we could possibly have._

The Taikun Zamuza hissed softly, stretching out its pincers. Vulcan spread his wings, shielding the trapped Jin from it. Syrie yowled and shook her tail, the combination of shriek and rattle blending together to make one frightening noise. But the Taikun was undeterred, and it struck with its pincers.

Vulcan quickly leapt over the Taikun's thrust, then blasted a fireball in its direction. Somehow, the Carapaceon dodged out of the way and produced a ball of lightning with its pincers. It scuttled rapidly toward Vulcan, the fizzling ball of deadly electricity held high over its head like a Barrel Bomb.

Before the Taikun could throw its projectile, Syrie swatted its legs with her tail, causing it to trip and drop the electric ball. It exploded with a flash of light and a scattering of lightning bolts, on the ground a few meters away.

The blue Carapaceon crawled forward with pincers held out menacingly. Backing Syrie up against Jin's prison, it quickly formed and hurled another ball of lightning, throwing it directly at Syrie. The Nargacuga jumped straight up, allowing the ball to crash into the pile of boulders. Several rocks tumbled off the pile during the impact, and Jin's head perked up with new alertness.

A plan formed in Vulcan's mind. He shot a fireball at the Taikun, just high enough to have it whiz over its head and get its attention. Hissing with rage, the Carapaceon flung not one, but two more lightning spheres at the wyvern, which were each narrowly avoided. Both smashed into the pile of rocks imprisoning Jin, causing over half of the rocks to either tumble to the ground or disintegrate into dust.

Enraged, the Taikun Zamuza swiped again and again with its pincers at Vulcan, trying to slice him to shreds. Expertly, Vulcan rose into the air and avoided the swinging appendages, and they once again hit Jin's prison. The flailing blows struck the boulders three times before the Taikun got control of itself and faced Vulcan and Syrie once more.

By now, there were only three more rocks holding Jin captive. With all of his strength, he pushed upward, causing the rocks to shift. He gave one final heave and the boulders flew off of him, setting him free.

Immediately, he barked an order to his Thunderbugs, and they flew out from the nooks and crannies in which they had hidden and combined their power to strike the Carapaceon with a bolt of lightning. However, having Thunder abilities itself, the Taikun only felt a small jolt. It turned and, seeing its once-helpless foe free, clattered forward on its spindly legs.

But something stopped it. A low, gurgling growl echoed from the darkness beyond. The Taikun froze, pincers waving in the air. Vulcan, Syrie, and Jin also stopped dead, hardly moving as they tried to detect the new monster.

Another growl, louder this time, sounded from the shadows. This time, the Taikun screamed in fear and rapidly burrowed through the rocky floor with its pincers, leaving no trace of it behind. That left Vulcan and his friends at the mercy of their new, unknown foe.

It didn't remain unknown for long, however. Two blazing red eyes flared in the darkness, and the monster slowly crawled out of its shadowy lair. It was a massive Pseudowyvern, a little bigger than Vulcan. Its finned tail swished back and forth powerfully, and its head fins vibrated slightly. Its claws were a bright red, and when it opened its mouth, its multiple sharp teeth were dripping with bloody saliva. Vulcan realized with a sinking feeling that this was the monster that had killed and eaten the Bullfango in the tunnel that they had traversed earlier.

_Syrie, what is that thing?_ yelped Zin, shaking madly with fright. The Nargacuga was speechless for a long time, then she answered, _The Demon Pariapuria. One of the most feared creatures in the entire known world._

Suddenly, the Pariapuria stood up to its full height and roared, the sheer noise causing rocks to fall from above. Vulcan cringed at the noise, then shouted to his comrades, _Let's get out of here! Jin, on my back! We need to get off this island as quickly as possible!_

The Zinogre instantly leapt onto Vulcan's armored back, securing his position with his strong claws. Vulcan and Syrie took to the sky on their powerful wings, just in time to dodge a massive ball of pre-digested meat and acid, vomited up by the Pariapuria. Vulcan involuntarily shuddered and rose out of the deep hole as fast as his wings would carry him.

The atmosphere became darker as they left the dimly lit cavern. By pure instinct, not to mention desperation, Vulcan and Syrie located the tunnel leading out to the surface and flew for it as full speed. But a sound came from behind him, muffled by the additional noise of Syrie's bladed wings chopping at the air - fear stole through Vulcan's heart as he realized that the sound was the Pariapuria's wingbeats as it gave chase.

The epiphany that the Demon was chasing them made the two wyvern friends double their pace, desperately flying through the winding tunnels and turning corners in the nick of time. Another guttural roar emanated from behind them as the frustrated Pseudowyvern increased its speed as well.

Gradually, the tunnel became brighter and brighter as they neared the surface of Tide Island. Vulcan stretched his wing muscles to the limit as he pumped harder, gasping for air and having the adrenalin flooding through his hollow bones. Syrie was close behind, but the Pariapuria was gaining.

Finally, at the sight of a point of light at the end of the tunnel, Vulcan, Syrie, and Jin burst out of the cave and into the sky over the tropical island. The Demon Pariapuria followed, but hissed in fury as the hated light burnt its frog-like skin. It dove back into the cooling darkness of the cave, roaring its rage at its escaping prey.

-.-.-.-.-.

Vulcan's breathing returned to normal, and Jin's claws relaxed their grip slightly. Tide Island was now behind them, and they were heading for the mainland. _Where do we go to find Taka and the rest?_ called Syrie from his port flank. _Where did you find him in your dream?_ Vulcan thought, then answered back, _I was flying over a rocky, lush landscape full of cliffs and waterfalls. Then, I found Taka on top of a tower that rose above the clouds,_

Syrie was quiet for a little while, and then she spoke up once more. _Alright, it sounds like we need to head for the Highland, then cross that realm and find the ancient Tower. Maybe that's where we will find them._

The Flying Wyvern found a thermal and soared upward, seeing the mainland looming in the distance. _We will find them,_ he said determinedly, almost to himself. _We WILL find them, or we will die trying._

-.-.-.-.-.

**So, Vulcan and co. have joined the hunt for Taka and Relcia. But will they catch up in time to save them?**

**Review and stay tuned as always, readers.**

**TRIVIA: Taikun Zamuza is probably my favorite monster in all of MH Frontier. The way the fight continually changes, the monster itself, and oh, the music! A truly awesome monster, it is.**


	10. Lauren Negotiates with the Red Dragon

**Back to Taka and Relcia, as they begin to traverse the Volcano...**

**Special thanks to Lauren, as she manages to get a certain red dragon to talk with Taka instead of flying down and eating him.**

-.-.-.-.-.

Any monster that looked up in response to a shadow flashing across the ground would have been unpleasantly shocked - who had ever seen an undersized Berukyurosu flying in volcanic territory before? And was that a human and a Melynx on its back?

The wyvern in question was, of course, Taka. Elegantly landing on the dark-colored earth, he allowed Relcia and Lauren to slide down from his back before changing back into his human form. Almost immediately, the three of them could feel the heat beating down on them relentlessly. It was worse than the Desert's heat, and the Cool Drinks they subsequently swallowed barely kept them from sweating profusely.

It was morning, and the sun was just barely over the horizon. The trio was surrounded by huge, black peaks, the largest of which was closest although still far. Smoke billowed from its pinnacle, leaving no doubt that this was the Volcano that they had to pass in order to continue their journey through the Great Frontier.

Taka had previously done research on this harsh region, and knew that, in a sense, it was probably the least dangerous of all areas in the Great Frontier. As far as he knew, every monster that inhabited this Volcano also inhabited some areas of the Central World, so at least they didn't have to worry about being unpleasantly surprised by some new monster.

"Where, exactly, do we go after traversing the Volcano?" Taka asked quietly. Relcia unfolded their map and stared hard at it for a few seconds. Finally, she replied, "We have to head north into the Highland. Then east, to the Tower and the White Fatalis."

She said the name of the Elder Dragon with a glint in her eyes. It made the light half of Taka nervous, and the dark half quiver with anticipation.

-.-.-.-.-.

The hours went by as Taka, Relcia, and Lauren trekked across the fiery land. Rivers and lakes of lava were prevalent, adding to the nearly unbearable heat. Ioprey stalked the caves and plains, but fortunately didn't pay attention to them. One time, Taka thought he saw movement in a large magma lake, and felt a thrill of fear when the head and back of a Lavasioth slowly emerged. Thankfully, the Piscene Wyvern ignored them.

They decided to rest on a huge plain, dominated by boulders and open spaces. It was ringed on all sides by cliffs and lava rivers, and a medium-sized pool of magma was almost exactly in the center. There were numerous holes in the cliffs - some too small for even a Giggi to enter, and others large enough for a full-grown Gravios to fit through.

"Lauren," Taka asked, turning his attention to his Melynx friend, "could you scout down one of these tunnels and find a safe path for us to travel?" Lauren was more than ready for the task. Whether it was because she wanted to help make up for her earlier actions in the Desert, or she wanted to get away from Relcia (whose dominant dark side unnerved her), Taka couldn't say. Nevertheless, she cheerfully meowed and scampered down a decent-sized tunnel.

"There's nothing we can do but wait for her," concluded Taka, settling down wearily on a boulder. "She doesn't know the terrain, and neither do we for that matter, so moving on now is a good way to get ourselves permanently lost." Relcia nodded in agreement and sat down next to him.

For a while, it was peaceful enough. The occasional Remobra soared across the sky, cawing loudly. The sun rose high into the sky, bathing the entire landscape with radiant light. There was a terrifying moment when the couple heard a loud, echoing howl, and fearfully glanced up to see a huge, wolf-like monster perched atop a cliff. But it didn't stay long, much to their relief.

_So much for no unpleasant surprises,_ Taka thought grimly, watching the monster lope off.

After a few moments, an earthshaking roar rang out into the morning air, startling both Taka and Relcia. "Goodness, what was that?" asked Relcia, reflexively grabbing Taka's arm. "Whatever it was, it doesn't sound good," he replied grimly. "I hope Lauren's all right by herself out there."

Relcia gave him an encouraging smile. "She'll be fine," she reassured him. "She's a monster, remember? She can easily survive on her own. It's us we need to worry about." Taka smiled back at her and held her close.

In less than a second, she was pressing her lips tightly against his. Taka had no objections, and his dark side in particular was pleased. _Bliss,_ he thought.

-.-.-.-.-.

Lauren scuttled off down a narrow, twisting tunnel. Every sense was on alert - she could see through the darkness, smell the sulfurous, sooty scents around her, hear the crawling of unknown things around her. All of this was new to her, and she didn't like it one bit.

She emerged from the tunnel on another volcanic plain. The ash and clouds belched from the Volcano hung heavy in the sky, darkening the area. A mob of Remobra circled around the body of a partially eaten Apceros, shrieking arguments and insults at each other.

The plain, covered with hardened lava and ringed by a moat of the molten substance, was uninviting to Lauren. Looking for a way out, she spied a nice-looking hole on the other side, leading hopefully to a better, safer part of the Volcano. It was her job to make sure that her, Taka, and Relcia got out safely.

But as she scuttled rapidly for the opening, crossing the plain as quickly as she could, there was a colossal roar that shook the Volcano. The Remobra cried out in fear and scattered, flying off as fast as their scaly wings could carry them. Lauren froze as the roar sounded again, this time seeming like it was coming from everywhere at once.

Then she saw it - a huge black shape perched on the very rim of the Volcano's crater. With a sinking feeling, she realized that it had fixed its attention directly upon her.

The creature flew from the crater, diving down toward the plain at an incredible speed. Yowling with alarm, Lauren ran as fast as she could for the hole she had spotted, hoping to lose the creature. But it was already upon her, flying past her in a blur, with the wind thrown up from its passing causing her to lose her balance and fall. When she stumbled to her feet, there it was, standing over her, staring down its snout.

Lauren found that she couldn't recall the monster's name. But it was clear that the unknown beast wanted something from her. "Y-yes, nya?" she asked it timidly, her voice barely beyond a whisper.

_You're a Melynx_, said the creature in a surprisingly casual tone. _A Melynx I haven't seen before._ Lauren found her tongue again and replied, "W-well, yes... I've never been here before, meow."

The immense monster grew more interested. _Well, obviously,_ it said idly, as if commenting on the weather. _And that's what fascinates me. You see, I am the master of this Volcano. No monster, not even a Vespoid, comes or leaves this place without my consent._

Lauren gulped, trying to swallow the hairball that threatened to climb up her throat and out her mouth. "I'm sorry, nya," she cowered, wishing that she were just a bit bigger of a monster. "But my master wishes... Taka wishes to pass through peacefully, be-claws he needs to reach the Highland, nya."

Now the creature seemed to be very interested. _Take me to your master,_ it said gently, bending its great head down to her level. It licked its lips briefly, before continuing, _I wish to negotiate with him._

-.-.-.-.-.

Doing her best to retrace her steps, Lauren ended up on the volcanic plain where Taka had told her to scout for a safe passage. At first, she didn't see her master, nor did she see Relcia, and she began to panic.

But as she advanced further onto the plain, she caught sight of the two sitting on a flat rock, with their mouths so tightly locked together that it looked like they were trying to eat each other alive. _Humans,_ Lauren thought exasperatedly. She loved her master, and she knew that he in turn loved Relcia, but she wished that they wouldn't go so... far.

Taka, on the other hand, didn't notice Lauren at first, so enamored was he with Relcia and the passion with which she treated him with. But a thunderous roar echoed across the plain, causing the magma lakes to ripple and boil, and the Volcano itself to spurt a plume of fire into the sky.

The couple broke apart, breathing hard as if they had just run a marathon. "What... what was that?" Relcia breathed, snapping back to reality. "I doubt it's good news," Taka said dryly, but with an undercurrent of fear. _What monstrous creature could have made that sound?_ he wondered, hoping not to find out.

But he and Relcia looked behind them instinctively, and with audible gasps, saw the great, red dragon gazing down upon them from a mountainous outcropping far above.

_Don't stop on my account!_ the beast called jokingly, eyes sparkling with amusement. Taka instantly turned as red as the dragon's scales, and Relcia instantly sprang to her feet, just as embarrassed as he was. _Only joking,_ the creature amended, but the corners of its maw tweaked upwards nonetheless. _Allow me to introduce myself. I am the ruler of the Volcano, and indeed all volcanic lands in the Great Frontier. I am the Crimson Fatalis._

Despite the dragon's jolly nature, Taka felt a thrill of terror at the realization that this mighty Elder Dragon was indeed the Crimson Fatalis. _It could crush us all with one blow,_ he thought, then instantly regretted doing so. _I'd better not show any hostility._

"What is it you want with us?" Taka asked boldly, summoning all the dignity he could muster. The Crimson Fatalis grinned and replied, _Maybe I don't want anything with you. Maybe I just stopped by to say hello. After all, it wouldn't be polite for me to refrain from greeting a newcomer to my territory._

Taka rolled his eyes when the Elder Dragon burst out in bellowing laughter. When he began to settle down, Relcia whispered in Taka's ear. "I think he wants to know why we're here. He wants to know why we're in his territory." Taka nodded and thought back to the Crimson Fatalis' words; _After all, it wouldn't be polite for me to refrain from greeting a newcomer to my territory._

"If you're wondering why we're here in your Volcano," Taka called up to the still-chuckling Elder Dragon, "we only need to pass through to reach the Highland." The Crimson Fatalis stopped laughing and squinted at the trio.

_Why, may I ask, do you need to reach the Highland?_ he asked, suddenly serious. Relcia opened her mouth to speak, but Taka hastily gestured for her to be quiet. His light side was warning him that nothing good would come out of letting Relcia negotiate with the red dragon.

"We need to cross the Highland because it is the quickest way to the Tower," Taka explained. "It is urgent that we speak with your brother, the White Fatalis."

The Crimson Fatalis grew silent. He looked ever harder at the threesome in front of him - two humans and a Melynx. Both humans were hunters, there was no denying that. He hardly ever saw humans in the flesh, but he was pretty sure that regular folks didn't wear Rathian armor or carry Longswords around.

And the ominous vibe emanating from the two didn't bode well, either. It was stronger in the girl, but steadily increasing in the shapeshifter he knew the boy to be. Instantly, the Crimson Fatalis knew that it was indeed urgent for them to find his brother. They needed his magic to heal their spirits, which were sinking deeper into the shadows. But, he also knew that he needed to gain their trust. They would have to bargain.

_I see,_ he said at last. _I realize how... important your situation is, and why you so desperately need to cross this land. But the fact still stands that you have trespassed into my territory without my permission._ He thought for a second, then grinned toothily. _Tell you what, _he added, voice regaining some of the cheer from earlier. _If you give me something I will request from you, then I will guarentee your safety until you reach the Highland._

Taka grinned back - he knew that whatever the Crimson Fatalis asked for would be a small price to pay for the welfare of himself and Relcia. _I'll give up anything to reach the Tower and heal Relcia, _he thought, but his dark side immediately flared up. Taka suddenly felt like he didn't want to find the Tower anymore, but he frantically fought the feeling off.

"What is your price?" he called up to the Elder Dragon. The Crimson Fatalis considered, then spoke once more. _I request the Longsword you carry,_ he said firmly but not unkindly. _Give me your weapon and you will be safe._

For some reason, Taka hesitated. Although his other Longsword, Demise, was back in Mediatas Village safe and sound, the Blango Decimator he carried had started to grow on him. He liked the frozen blade and the soft, fur-trimmed sheath that kept it cold. He didn't know if he could give it up.

Then Lauren was there, climbing up his back and hanging onto his shoulder. "Think about it, master," she whispered to him. "You don't need your weapon anyways, nya. You are a shapeshifter, and you don't need protection. Relcia has her Wolf Tessen Dual Swords, so she's still well defended. It's a purr-fect deal for you, meow."

After a moment of thought, Taka nodded at last. Lauren was right. He didn't really need a weapon to defend himself with, but Relcia did. And since he could indeed shapeshift, he could protect _both_ of them.

"All right," he said to the dragon, pulling the Longsword and its sheath off of him. "I accept. It's a deal."

The Crimson Fatalis grinned again. _I knew I could trust you,_ he said, gently swooping down to land in front of them. He reached down with a massive claw and gently plucked the weapon from Taka's grasp. _Don't worry, you will see it again. And by the way, that Melynx of yours has prime potential as a negotiator._

Under her fur, Lauren blushed at the compliment. Taka smiled at her, then turned to wave farewell to the Crimson Fatalis. "It was a pleasure meeting you," he said politely. _And you as well,_ the Elder Dragon rumbled in reply. _Take care now, and good luck._

The Crimson Fatalis watched them walk off for a minute or two. When they were out of his sight, he gave a mighty roar and took off into the smoke-streaked sky, eager for a nice long rest.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Another obstacle overcome! But Taka may not be able to overcome the steadily growing obstacle within him...**

**TRIVIA: Midogaron, the new Pelagus in Monster Hunter Frontier G, makes a very brief appearance in this chapter.**


	11. Raging on Absolute Island

**In this chapter, we get to see more of our favorite villains, Tartu and Mylie.**

**And then, it's back to Tenris, Elric, and Illeera as they continue to traverse the Desert... but I'm not spoiling any more! On with the hunt!**

-.-.-.-.-.

Tartu jumped off of the massive balloon that had taken him to this location. He reflected on how well designed it was - it wasn't merely an observation balloon, it was practically a floating camp, made for a trip of several days through the sky. Mylie in particular had been very impressed, and had spent almost the entire time gazing out at the spectacular views the balloon had provided them.

But Tartu didn't have time to think about that. He took out the blue orb, and Mylie took out the spellbook, in preparation for their next task. The next stage of their plan needed a powerful spell, and luckily, their book of magic provided just the incantation neccessary.

The duo proceeded across the hills and mountains until they arrived at their destination. Standing high on a cliff, they looked down upon the massive, watery plain before them. There were huge, steaming lakes dotting the area, and the mountain range in which they stood ringed it on two sides. On the other two, the ocean roared, with immense waves crashing against the coastline.

Tartu gently held the glowing orb at arm's length, dangling it over their cliff. Mylie opened the book and began to mutter the spell. It was a long one, and not even a single word could be mispronounced. But if they succeeded, they would attain such power over the Great Frontier, it boggled even Tartu's brilliant mind.

As Mylie chanted the words confidently and without hesitation, the ground began to shake ever so slightly. The occasional geyser erupted on the plain below, but beyond that, there was no other activity. _In fact, _thought Tartu, _a tremor and geyser eruption isn't unusual at all. But when she continues..._

As if hearing Tartu's thoughts, the earthquake increased in magnitude. More geysers sprayed massive amounts of boiling water into the sky.

Mylie's voice became louder as the tectonic activity became even more intense. The moon, high in the sky, cast its light over the water-covered ground, and with all the drops of water being flung into the air, it was like standing inside of a rainbow.

Finally, Mylie said the last word. All of the geysers erupted in unison for their most powerful eruption yet, filling the entire island with water. The earthquake reached its peak, and the mountains around them seemed to shudder. Then, from the ground, came a monstrosity.

Earth and water exploded from the ground with a single, titanic tremor. A head followed, and then a serpentine body covered in pebbles, seaweed, and barnacles. Mylie gasped - this beast was even bigger than the Taltaira!

Tartu could only look on with evil satisfaction. _So this is it,_ he thought in awe. _This is the beast of which the legend of Absolute Island spoke. It is the White Raviente._

The White Raviente heaved the last of its unfathomable bulk out of the ground and towered high above Tartu's and Mylie's cliff. Then, with a terrible screech that shook the very island and caused more geysers to spray, it left Absolute Island, angry that its rest had been disturbed.

It was headed instinctively to the mainland, and wherever it went, destruction would surely follow.

-.-.-.-.-.

Illeera was the first to feel the vibrations underfoot. They had been travelling through the Desert for some time after the Ancient Rathian attack. Now, the end was nearly in sight, and they knew that beyond this wasteland lay the Gorge. Once they traversed the Gorge, they would be at last in the Highland, the last part of their journey.

Earlier, Tenris had speculated that the reason Taka and Relcia were heading deeper into the Great Frontier was because they were looking for the White Fatalis. As unlikely as that sounded, it was the only good reason that Taka would be doing this. So while Illeera had been recovering from the Ancient Rathian's poison, Tenris and Elric had planned the best route to take to the Tower.

Illeera smiled at the memory from when she had woken up. Elric had been hovering over her bed, anxiously waiting for her to awaken. His face had radiated such happiness and relief, Illeera had at first been puzzled. They were friends, sure, but even Taka wouldn't have worn such an expression of anguish. She had quickly pushed the thought from her mind and delightfully accepted his and his sister's company.

But now, the vibrations coming from underneath jolted her out of her thoughts. "What is this?" she asked to no one in particular. Tenris and Elric stopped, and indeed began to feel what she felt. "The Desert is full of burrowing monsters," Elric said matter-of-factly. "It's probably just a passing Monoblos. Now let's keep moving."

They hadn't gone very far when the tremors began to gradually worsen. When they had gotten so bad that everyone had to stop in order to regain their balance, Tenris shouted over the rumbling of the earth and sand, "So much for that idea!"

Just as Illeera thought this ordeal couldn't get any worse, the ground shook so badly that it felt like a giant had picked up the world and shaken it. Roughly tumbling to the ground, Illeera looked up in time to the earth in front of her suddenly heave and explode outward. A gigantic, reptilian head blasted up out of the ground in a storm of dust and sand.

Tenris and Elric were staring wide-eyed at the beast, unsure how to react to such enormity. It was as if some deity had taken the words "enormous", "titanic", and every other synonym and given them all a body to slither around in.

The dragon stopped, its unfathomably large body halfway out of the ground. It slowly swung its head around to stare down at the three speechless humans. A shrieking roar tore from its throat as it opened its mouth wide, flames already gathering within. Everyone abruptly unfroze and ran in the opposite direction, although they knew that there was really no hope of escape.

But then, something happened to make Illeera, Tenris, and Elric, and even the monster behind them to pause in utter confusion. Entire packs of Genprey and Gendrome were rushing towards them in a hurry. They took no notice as they sprinted past, screeching in a hundred voices. Herds of Apceros joined them, oblivious to the four beings before them as they followed their predators to some unknown destination.

The great dragon's head fins flapped as it detected something. With a huge roar, it reared back and slammed its head into the ground, creating a new tunnel for it to travel through. Its body disappeared into the new hole even as it appeared from the old hole. Then it was off, constantly diving and resurfacing like a serpentine dolphin.

"What... what was that?" Elric asked, out of breath. But then, another tremor shook the Desert. Sand flew up, then continued flying as if swept into a sandstorm. A massive dune rose in front of them. Illeera, through her terror, saw that the blowing sand was actually coming from the dune. _What's going on?_ she thought, even as she took out her Sonic Bow IV in preparation for battle.

Her friends drew their own weapons, and as they did, the sand dune exploded violently. Sand blasted them, scratching their faces and getting in their eyes. Clearing their vision, the three friends were just in time to see a sand-coated, enormously large red monster rear up and give a rumbling roar.

Illeera was startled when she found that she couldn't remember the monster's name. However, she was sure that it was related to the powerful Akantor that slumbered in volcanoes, and the terrifying Ukanlos that haunted icy mountains. _It's called something similar, then,_ Illeera concluded. _Okanoth, I think, or something like that._

The Okanoth roared again, the sound causing the sand itself to ripple and boil like lava. The creature's shell huffed sand and earth from its giant, central hole. It bared its huge, rectangular teeth in a snarl, although it looked more like a grin. Tenris, Illeera, and Elric all tensed for battle.

The huge Pseudowyvern dragged its claw across the ground, causing a huge ripple of sand to sweep towards the trio. Illeera and Elric managed to avoid it, but Tenris was caught in the wave and swept off of her feet. The Okanoth lifted its great, flat tail, prepared to pummel her into the dirt with it. She saw the danger just in time and narrowly avoided it, then jumped in with her Qurupeco Chopper and struck the tail three times.

The fiery blows stung the Okanoth, which bellowed with pain. It quickly turned around and snapped at Tenris, its flat teeth coming together with an echoing crash. If Elric didn't get his sister out of the way in time, she would have been crushed like an insect.

Illeera distracted it from pursuing Tenris further by shooting a few arrows its way. The electrical projectiles hit around its eyes and nose, stinging them painfully. Seeing that its foes were spreading around it, the Okanoth growled and aimed its cannon into the sky.

Illeera, Tenris, and Elric all scrambled to avoid what happened next - the Okanoth was firing huge boulders from its cannon into the sky, sending the rocks plummeting to the ground like a meteor shower. Each boulder struck the ground with an impact that shook the sand.

Elric ended up close to the monster, and took the opportunity to strike its back leg with his Khezu Shock Sword. He managed to carve a deep cut in the Okanoth's flesh, causing blood to pour down onto the sand beneath. The Pseudowyvern's response was a roar that crashed in their ears, making them cower and clutch their heads in pain.

Furiously, the Okanoth dug into the earth, leaving no trace behind as sand rapidly filled in the hole. Everyone cautiously looked around, trying to determine where the monster would surface.

There was a sudden movement in the sand a fair distance in front of them. The Okanoth's cannon slowly rose out of the earth, sand pouring off of it with a great hissing sound. The cannon trembled, and then all of a sudden, a massive boulder came flying out at tremendous speed. Tenris screamed and threw herself out of the incoming projectile's path. Illeera hit the ground just in time, and Elric barely managed to prevent his head getting ripped off.

The boulder landed just ahead of them and exploded in a massive storm of dust and debris. The shockwave blasted them back toward the Okanoth, which was now rising further up out from the ground. They drew their weapons once more, prepared to fight for their lives.

A deep inhalation occured as the Okanoth sucked in a breath. Illeera guessed what was happening, and frantically motioned for Tenris and Elric to follow her. They ducked beneath the Okanoth's head just as it fired a beam of earth in front of it, sweeping the beam from side to side.

The Okanoth was confused - it hadn't seen them take refuge right underneath it. But it took an educated guess and rose up onto its hind legs. It teetered for a second, then did a savage, earth-shaking belly flop.

Desperately, Illeera hurled herself out from underneath the falling Pseudowyvern, just getting out of the way of its arm. Elric followed, as its head hit the ground not even an inch from his feet. The body slam caused a curtain of sand to fly up, obscuring their vision.

When it cleared, Illeera and Elric frantically got to their feet and faced their foe once more. But, with a terrible chill, they both saw the body of Tenris crushed underneath its foot.

Seeing his sister limp and lifeless on the ground sparked something in Elric. He flew into a terrible rage, rushing straight at the monster with his hand on his Great Sword. Illeera, although concerned for his safety, decided to back him up, covering his charge with a flurry of arrows.

Wincing from the rain of arrows upon it, the Okanoth hurriedly burrowed into the sand. However, it didn't stay submerged for long - it partially resurfaced, doing a kind of swim-crawl through the sand to meet Elric. He paid no heed to the rapidly advancing Pseudowyvern, whose mouth yawned wide to crush him between its two jaws.

Illeera screamed his name, but he didn't notice as the Okanoth bore down on him. Right when the creature was almost on top of him, he jumped with all of his might. The Okanoth also lunged forward, its jaws as wide as they could stretch. It brought its teeth down together with a thunderous noise.

But Elric's jump carried him past the ring of teeth just before they would have mashed him. He landed safely in the Okanoth's mouth a split second before it closed.

Illeera, through her worry, began to question his motive. _He knew that by jumping, the added momentum would allow him to avoid the bite,_ she thought. _But what was he planning to do with that knowledge._

She found out a second later. The Okanoth suddenly gave a tremendous bellow that blasted across the landscape, rippling sand and making Illeera's head feel as if it were about to explode. Cringing from the sound, she looked hard at the Okanoth, with its head raised high in the air as if in agony. She felt a thrill when she spotted the Khezu Shock Sword sticking up through the Okanoth's head.

The roar became a dying moan. The Pseudowyvern crashed to the ground with an impact that shook the Desert. After a second of unbearable stillness, Elric crawled out from its mouth, exhaustedly towing his bloodstained Great Sword. Illeera ran up to him and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

Then she thumped him repeatedly on the head. "Don't... you... ever... do... that... again!" she said with each whack. "Ow, OK!" complained Elric, swatting her arm away. He looked over sadly at the broken body of his sister, lying forlornly in the sand. "I just had to avenge her," he whispered, tears welling in his eyes.

Illeera gently led him away, and he perked up a bit. They continued their journey in silence. Elric's silence was heavy with grief and the loss of his only sister. Illeera's was taut with suspicion. _What was that monster we encountered before the Okanoth attacked?_ she wondered, and decided that she probably didn't want to know.

Then a realization stopped her for a moment in her tracks. _Now I remember. It's called Odeibatorasu, not Okanoth. What the hell was I thinking?_

-.-.-.-.-.

**For the record, Odeibatorasu's battle theme is awesome.**

**Next chapter will be up soon, so review in the meantime, please!**

**TRIVIA: "Okanoth" is what I guess would be Odeibatorasu's English name, if it ever got one.**


	12. The Darkness Conquers a Hero

**Things finally start coming together in this chapter. First, there's...**

**Wait. I'm not going to spoil any of it for you. So, read on!**

-.-.-.-.-.

Vulcan sighed in relief as he, Jin, and Syrie flew over the last of the Jungle. They were now well over the mainland, and a huge chasm had appeared on the horizon. Syrie had informed them that the chasm was known as the Gorge. They had decided that it would be a good rest stop, as the sun had begun to set.

Hopefully, Taka and Relcia weren't that far ahead. Thanks to Vulcan's earlier nightmare, the trio of monsters knew that the Highland was where they'd make the last few miles of their journey. _And hopefully, we'll run into Illeera, Tenris, and Elric along the way,_ thought Vulcan. _Unless they've already turned back and returned to Mediatas Village._ He tried not to think of Reia and their chicks, Bront and Rell. Once again, he was forced to turn his back on them for the greater good. Vulcan knew he essentially had no choice, but it didn't make him feel any better.

_I can try to find us a safe resting place,_ offered Syrie from Vulcan's starboard wing. _I can take a guess as to where any hostile monsters might dwell._ Vulcan nodded at the Nargacuga. Of course she'd be the best one for this job. She had been born in the Great Frontier, after all.

As they neared the Gorge, Vulcan felt Jin's claws clamp down tighter on his shoulders as he prepared to land. His keen wyvern eyes took note of something moving on the canyon floor. There was something vaguely familiar about it... Then his eyes widened. _It's them!_ he crowed. _It's Illeera and Elric!_

The other two grew more excited at the prospect of seeing their human friends safe and sound. But at the centre of Vulcan's excitement, there was a hint of worry. _Where could Tenris be?_ he wondered nervously.

-.-.-.-.-.

Syrie helped the two humans find a good resting place, and soon they were all camping under a rocky shelf, on a platform on the side of the Gorge. Luckily, no monsters seemed to be inhabiting this area, so they would be relatively safe here.

Vulcan struggled to digest what had just been revealed to him by Illeera and Elric. He just couldn't believe that Tenris was gone, killed by a huge Pseudowyvern in the Desert. The two of them had grown quite close in the days leading up to their journey, often patrolling the Central World together and swapping stories as they did so.

But now, there would be no more storytelling or patrolling. Tenris was dead, and Vulcan hadn't been there to help.

At the same time Vulcan,.Syrie, and Jin were coping with this unsettling news, Illeera and Elric were similarly stunned. Vulcan had told them about his nightmare, and now they were lost in their own thoughts, trying to guess what it might mean. _Whatever it means,_ thought Illeera grimly, _Taka's in worse trouble than we'd imagined._

-.-.-.-.-.

Tartu and Mylie walked down to Mezeporta Square, following the hunter who had brought them this distressing news. Without saying a word, they surveyed the destruction before them.

It was immense. Huge holes in the pavement gaped wide, and whole buildings had been demolished. Several people lay lifeless on the ground. Hunters and officers were everywhere, trying to fix the damage. Tartu predicted that it would be several weeks before they finished.

But inside, Tartu had much more worrying thoughts. He knew what had caused the damage, of course - the White Raviente that he and Mylie had released. Although he intended to use the beast to gain power in the Great Frontier, he never would have thought that it would attack a populated area so soon. Now, he was busy trying to find an alibi in case someone asked what had done all of this.

That time came not three seconds later. "What could have done this?" asked the hunter sadly, looking down at the bodies of his deceased brothers and sisters of the hunt. "What could have done this?" He continued to mutter the question as everywhere he turned, more destruction was revealed.

Suddenly, it came to Tartu - the perfect story. A party of hunters coming back from the Desert had come to him, saying that they had encountered two teenaged hunters that they had never seen before. From their descriptions, Tartu had guessed their identity, and Mylie had almost instantly confirmed his suspicions. They were Taka and Relcia, she was sure of it. And now Tartu could use that information to his advantage.

"It was the White Raviente that caused this," he announced, and the other hunters paused in their labors to listen. "The White Raviente, the legendary inhabitant of Absolute Island. It had been awakened from its slumber by beings of magical power."

The hunters muttered amongst themselves. Before Tartu could continue, he was suddenly struck by a vision, just like the ones he used to get in the Mysterious Beyond. It showed Taka and Relcia, with a blazing white Elder Dragon looming behind them. The vision was brief, but a wealth of information had been revealed to Tartu just then.

"These beings are currently headed for the Tower," he went on. "They not only wish to awaken the White Raviente, but also the White Fatalis. With both beasts on their side, they will become unstoppable."

The smile that creased Tartu's face, although no one but Mylie noticed it, was filled with malice. "I require the best hunters for this next quest - to hunt down the beings known as Taka and Relcia."

-.-.-.-.-.

Meanwhile, as the two separate parties began to close in on the Highland, Taka and Relcia were in the fight of their lives.

Taka remembered that the journey through the Highland had been smooth enough. When they had first gotten there, they had both been completely stunned by the beautiful scenery. Waterfalls hundreds of feet high roared over majestic, towering cliffs, feeding dozens of sparkling streams and lakes. Erupe and Burukku grazed on the plentiful foliage, while birds and the occasional Flying Wyvern soared on the endless thermals, filling the pristine Highland air with their song.

But as they traveled, they found that a walk in the Highland was no picnic.

Although a lot of monsters cared about the end of the war and Taka's role in it, an equal number of monsters didn't care at all. These were usually the monsters that were big enough and tough enough to take care of themselves, war or no war. And the monsters that inhabited the Highland were some of the toughest.

So now, the two friends were forced to duck and dodge high-pressure bursts of water and avoid the swinging tail and horn of one of the most feared creatures in the Great Frontier - Gurenzeburu, the Barbarian Wyvern.

The wyvern screamed at them, but Taka couldn't understand the words. Indeed, as Vulcan had once told him, Gurenzeburus were one of the rare monsters that could not speak the modern monster language. Either they were too primitive, they had their own ancient tongue, or they simply didn't have the intelligence - but no monster knew for certain.

That was the last thing on Taka's mind right now. Without his Blango Decimator, he was defenseless, or so it seemed to the marauding Flying Wyvern. Right after dodging a thrust from the beast's deadly horn, Taka shapeshifted into a huge Deviljho.

With a roar tearing its way out of his throat, Taka charged at the Gurenzeburu, jaws open wide. The wyvern narrowly avoided the attack, only to thrust with its horn again. Taka dodged, but the Gurenzeburu suddenly swung its head forcefully, the point of the horn slashing Taka's leg.

Relcia had snuck up behind the Gurenzeburu, triggering the Demonize ability with her Dual Swords. She lunged when she had gotten close enough, swiping repeatedly at the Gurenzeburu's legs and underbelly.

The wyvern felt the horrible wounds dealt by the deadly fans and screamed again in pain. It swung its tail mercilessly at Relcia, and the sharp mineralized spines adorning its tail missed her by inches. She was, however, batted aside to lay still amongst the rocks.

Now there was only Taka left to fight the Gurenzeburu. And after seeing it carelessly bat Relcia away like so much trash, he was more than ready to make it pay.

The wyvern's tail struck him in the side, spines digging deep into his hide. The pain only fueled his anger, until he could feel his muscles swell and his energy increase dramatically. With a roar, he blasted the wyvern with his black-red dragon breath, drawing back several paces.

But then the Gurenzeburu retaliated, spraying a high-pressured blast of water from its mouth. The liquid smashed into Taka, driving him back with astonishing force. Chilled to the bone and bruised considerably, the Brute Wyvern shrank and shifted to be replaced by his normal human form.

By this time, Relcia had begun to wake up. Seeing the monster charging to finish Taka, she charged forward, retrieving her Dual Swords from the ground as she did so. Just as the Gurenzeburu passed her on its way to the still-stunned Taka, she slashed mercilessly at its leg.

The wyvern felt the sudden pain and screamed, tumbling to the ground just short of Taka. He got out of the way, this time using his abilities to transform into a monster equally as strong as the Barbarian Wyvern - the Kuarusepusu.

The immense crystalline Leviathan lunged forward at its fallen foe, but the Gurenzeburu got up just then, seeing the danger at the last second and jumping up out of the way. It fired huge water bombs at Taka's back, which all impacted solidly against him. Taka cringed, then pointed his triangular head at his enemy and firing a massive beam of light. Momentarily blinded, the wyvern crashed to the ground.

Inside, Taka was undergoing just as fierce a battle. Light and dark warred inside of him, one side fighting for mercy and the other fighting for the Gurenzeburu's immediate death. The experience was enough to make Taka pause and struggle to calm both sides down. As he did so, the Gurenzeburu shakily stood up, eyesight recovering. The distant rumble of thunder sounded, and the sky rapidly filled with dark grey clouds.

Taka took no notice, as he frantically fought to keep his light and dark sides balanced. But his light side was becoming weaker, struggling ever more feebly against the darkness which fed off of it even now. As the shadow within took hold of Taka, he changed noticably, serpentine eyes becoming suffused with a dangerous darkness and tail twitching with a new, malicious urgency.

The Gurenzeburu charged just then, horn held straight for Taka's neck. Reacting instantly, Taka twisted his flexible body out of the way. Lightning flashed and rain began to pour down. Electricity built up within the crystals studding his body, until the feeling was almost unbearable. It felt as if the Thunder element that Taka controlled was raging inside of him.

Desperately, Taka released the building charge from his crystals, becoming surrounded with a nimbus of lightning. The Gurenzeburu shrieked and drew back as the intense voltage struck it, crackling loudly.

Then, attracted by Taka's attack, a massive lightning bolt surged down from the clouds above, spearing the Gurenzeburu right on its horn. Its scream grew even louder and more shrill as the current fried its brain.

Darkness fueling his every move, Taka took no chances. Driven by the need to kill, he charged forward and opened his jaws, clamping them around the Gurenzeburu's neck. His long, needle-like teeth effortlessly pierced it, and the monster's cry was joined by a low gurgle as the blood poured down.

Taka released his hold, and the wyvern slumped to the ground, never to rise again. Excitement flowed through Taka, stopping him from calming down right away. Still in his Kuarusepusu form, his breath came hard and he swung his head around frantically, looking for something else to slay.

Relcia stepped in front of his line of sight, putting a calming hand on his horn. With some effort, Taka settled down and reverted back into his human form. Relcia smiled at him and gestured to a nearby cavern, indicating that they should seek shelter and get out of the pouring rain.

Taking her hand, Taka led her quickly toward the cave. Lauren, who had been hanging back in the earlier fight, suddenly appeared from the rocks behind them and scampered along with them toward the cave.

-.-.-.-.-.

Eventually, Taka and Relcia fell asleep in the cave while listening to the rain hammering down outside. They were both so exhausted from the day's adventures that they had immediately sat down against the cave wall, cuddled up beside each other, and fallen asleep in each other's embrace.

Lauren's eyes snapped open. She had pretended to fall asleep when the two humans had first entered the cave, a few seconds after her. But she couldn't have fallen asleep if she wanted to, so tight were her nerves.

It wasn't just the fight between Taka/Kuarusepusu and the Gurenzeburu that had left her so edgy. It was the changes she could feel happening within her master. Lauren had felt this happening for a while now, but now she knew that the darkness within him had grown much too strong. The little bit of light still within him was too weak to push against it, and yet still remained.

Now Lauren knew what she must do. She must find Taka's friends and convince them that Taka was in serious danger. If the couple reached the White Fatalis, no good would come of it. But if Lauren could get Illeera and the others to catch up and stop him, there might still be hope for a cure.

The Melynx scampered out of the cave and into the rain, heading for a destination that wasn't yet known to her. The howl of a Hyujikiki pierced through the din of the rain, goading her to run faster.

_I don't know how I shall do it, nya,_ she thought to herself, _but I must find Taka's furr-iends. Taka must be cured - or else he will sink into evil so deep... there will be no climbing back out._

-.-.-.-.-.

**Yet another of my worrying cliffhangers. Several things are transpiring at once, none of which bode well.**

**Hopefully, Taka can get to the White Fatalis before any of these things can completely destroy him...**

**TRIVIA: The Highland's music theme is my second-favorite in all of Monster Hunter. It's epic and beautiful at the same time.**


	13. All Hail the Ancestor

**Let us begin the countdown! This is the third-to-last chapter, and events are rapidly heating up.**

-.-.-.-.-.

Taka woke up to find the skies clear, the air tangy with moisture, and Lauren gone. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but they weren't playing tricks on them. His Melynx companion was truly gone.

In a minute, Relcia had woken up and noticed the same thing. "She left," she said simply, voice heavy with disgust. "She must have left the Highland entirely. That earlier fight must have scared her off."

Ordinarily, Taka would never believe that his faithful Melynx friend would ever desert them, but under sway of the darkness as he was, he could certainly believe it now. After all, he would certainly desert his companions first chance he got in the interest of his own safety.

The small amount of light still locked within him struggled briefly, but then fell still.

"Come on," said Relcia, getting up and stretching. "We're close to the Tower now. We should be able to make the journey within a day." Taka nodded once and adjusted his Qurupeco helm. He transformed back into a Berukyurosu and bent down for Relcia to get on. She climbed up quickly, and once she was secure, Taka took off with a running start. He circled once in the early morning sky, then made a banking turn and soared off toward the Tower.

Taka quivered in anticipation as he flew towards his goal. Why were they looking for the White Fatalis again? He knew his light side held the answer, but he was reluctant to ask. He didn't have the patience to consult the almost nonexistent conscience that still lurked inside, so he quickly rejected the idea.

All he knew is that there was destiny in the air. He could feel it.

-.-.-.-.-.

Vulcan rapidly flew over the Gorge, Jin on his back as usual. Syrie carried Illeera and Elric, who had both fallen into a fitful sleep last night. The Nargacuga had kept close watch over them, mostly because her eyes were best adapted to seeing at night.

But now, Vulcan could see the massive fissure come to an end in the distance. Beyond that, he saw the land begin to slope upward and become much rockier. He smiled. _We are approaching the Highland at last,_ he thought, _and that is where we will find Taka and Relcia._

That thought made him increase his speed significantly, eager to see Taka again. Syrie struggled to keep up as he flew ever faster. Vulcan didn't notice, as all he could concentrate on was the prospect of seeing his best friend in all the world at last.

Soon, Vulcan and Syrie had flown far enough toward the Highland that they began to encounter rough winds and pouring rain. Syrie had told them about the unpredictable weather that the Highland was frequently at the mercy of, and that the monsters had evolved to behave in similarly unpredictable ways. She warned them to stay sharp for any unexpected surprises that might be waiting for them.

One of those unexpected surprises was encountered just a few minutes later. The storm grew slightly worse, with flashes of lightning occuring every now and then. The odd thing was, the lightning was pink.

Before Vulcan could comment on the unusual phenomenon, there was a high-pitched screech that sounded from everywhere at once. The lightning suddenly seemed to be _aiming_ for them now, and Vulcan and Syrie expertly dodges the first few strikes. Jin sent a couple of Thunderbugs to scout out the source of the strange weather, and the information they brought back was far from pleasing.

_The bugs say that this storm isn't natural!_ he shouted over the howling wind. _They say that there's a weird-looking beast causing this, and it's trying to drive us away!_

Vulcan looked over his shoulder for a few seconds, meeting Jin's worried eyes. Then he set his gaze straight ahead and said determinedly, _Well, then this beast is going to have to chase us in this direction. We don't want a fight, so we're going to fly straight ahead and out of its territory. Just dodge the lightning, and if the beast appears, ignore it._

With that, the two wyverns forged ahead, keeping in a mostly straight line, occasionally avoiding a lightning bolt when necessary. When the third bolt was dodged, the screech came again, and Vulcan thought he could see a serpentine shape silhouetted against the flashes of lightning. _It's here!_ he roared. _Remember what I told you, just ignore it and it'll go away!_

Then the beast made itself known. It was a huge white Elder Dragon, and although they had no way of knowing it, this beast ruled over the Highland with its immense storms. It was called Shantiyen, and it didn't like visitors.

Shantiyen screeched again, and flicked its tail at the wyverns and their riders, sending a wave of icy, rain-lashed wind at them. Vulcan fought to stay on course, and Illeera and Elric tightened their grip on Syrie's scales. The Nargacuga was almost invisible against the black clouds they flew through.

Lightning crackled all around as Shantiyen flew circles around the group, looking for the best angle of attack. Finally, it slowly disappeared into the clouds below them.

Things were calm, despite the constant rumble of thunder. Their flight suddenly became uneventful, with no sign of Shantiyen. Vulcan began to wonder if they'd already passed through the Elder Dragon's territory.

Then a tremendous lightning bolt shot up from beneath him, striking him dead on and totally paralyzing him. Unable to move, Vulcan's wings locked, and he and Jin plummeted. Syrie screamed their names in fear as they disappeared into the clouds below.

Shantiyen's screech came again, and it rose up out of the blackness, focused on Syrie and her riders. Frantically, the Nargacuga shot a dozen spines from her tail, trying to drive Shantiyen away. Most missed, but three did not, burying themselves in the scales of its flank and belly. The Elder Dragon roared in pain and shook the spines out, causing a chilly wind to rip through the air.

A fireball blazed upwards, slamming into Shantiyen and hurling it higher into the air. Badly burnt, the Elder Dragon turned its head to see a shaky Vulcan emerge through the clouds. Small bolts of electricity still crackled around his form, but he was still alive, and more importantly, well enough to fly again. Jin barked an order to his Thunderbugs, and they combined their powers to create a huge thunderbolt that sizzled across Shantiyen's body.

The monster glared at them, then disappeared into the murk around them. This time, it didn't come back.

_It left already?_ asked Syrie uncertainly. _Did we chase it away, or did it simply leave?_ Vulcan nodded and replied, _Yes, I believe so. Either we're out of its territory, or we simply gave it the impression that we weren't worth the effort to fight._ Illeera looked thoughtful at his words, while Elric looked from one monster to the other, confused. With a shrug, Illeera translated for him.

Then as suddenly as the storm had been encountered, it was gone. The monsters flew through the last of the clouds and found themselves in a tranquil atmosphere. The sun was shining high in the sky, casting its light upon a landscape rich with cliffs and waterfalls. Vulcan smiled to himself at the beautiful sight.

_We've reached the Highland at long last,_ he thought. _Now all that remains is to find Taka and Relcia._

-.-.-.-.-.

But Taka and Relcia were far ahead. They had left the Highland entirely, and now flew above the clouds. As Taka flew, he observed the clouds become gray and stormy. His almost-non-existant light side shivered and tried to back further into the corner it had been forced into.

Taka dimly felt a strange feeling overtake him. If it had been any stronger, he might have paid attention to it - but the feeling of dread was so weak, he dismissed it as a trick of the mind and ignored it.

"There!" shouted Relcia from atop his back. "I see it!" Taka strained with his keen wyvern eyes to see what she had seen. And then, all of a sudden, he saw it.

The top of an old tower, partially framed by crumbling ruins, poking up through the clouds. It looked in danger of collapsing, but it still held itself together, and it probably would for another ten thousand years.

_The Tower,_ thought Taka triumphantly. _The home of the White Fatalis._

He stopped. What were they to do when they found the White Fatalis again? He couldn't remember the original reason, and Relcia's earlier suggestion of using its power to rule the Great Frontier was definitely appealing. But something was telling him that it was a bad idea, and doubt crept into his heart.

Taka shook it away. _One step at a time, _he repeated again and again to himself. _One step at a time._

But reality wasn't forgiving enough to allow Taka to do so. The instant he lighted down on the Tower's windswept floor and shapeshifted back into himself, there was a blistering breeze that swept across the barren ground. The gray clouds below them roiled. A high-pitched shriek rang out into the still air.

Suddenly, Taka saw a white light blaze from above. And the closer he looked, the less it seemed to be a simple light. It took on a form, a form with a long neck and tail. Strong wings beat, carrying the beast forward without any effort, and its scales shone with a radiance equal to the sun. Red eyes observed them from underneath the multitude of horns that adorned its head.

It was the White Fatalis.

-.-.-.-.-.

Lauren cried out in delight and relief at the sight of Vulcan and Syrie passing over her. "Hey, Vulcan, Syrie!" she yowled, jumping up and down and swinging her staff. "Down here, nya!"

Joy took hold of her as she saw the monsters turn and see her. They landed roughly on the rocky ground, and Lauren saw Illeera and Elric slide down from Syrie's back. "Illeera, thank goodness!" Lauren cried, leaping forward and clutching Illeera's leg with her paws.

Carefully extracting herself from the Melynx's embrace, Illeera noted the expression on her face - a mix of strain and anxiety. "What is it?" she asked gently, and Lauren, hesitating at first, spilled out the whole story.

At the end of it, Vulcan looked stricken._ It's true,_ he murmured. _My dream is coming true..._

Elric was similarly shocked. "We need to make for the Tower right away. Taka and Relcia must be healed, before they succumb to the darkness permanently."

If any monster were to walk by just then, they would have seen three monsters, two humans, and a Melynx take off with urgency in their wingbeats for the distant Tower.

And although they had no way of knowing it, a shapeshifter's soul depended on how fast they got there.

-.-.-.-.-.

**I shall leave you all with that final cliffhanger.**

**When the next chapter has been posted, we will finally see Taka's story begin to come to an epic finish.**

**See you soon, readers!**

**TRIVIA: Berukyurosus are actually intelligent in-game - apparently they have a special AI that lets them learn a hunter's attacks and act accordingly.**

**Monster Hunter Frontier terrifies me sometimes.**


	14. Epic Showdown in White Fatalis' Tower!

**Finally, the second-last chapter, and the battle to end all battles.**

**That is all I will spoil.**

-.-.-.-.-.

Taka couldn't help but stare. On shining wings flew the beast that Taka had heard legends about for all of his life. It was the beast rumored to be so legendarily magical, that a single one of its scales could cure any malady. The beast so powerful, it could supposedly slay a legion of hunters single-handedly.

The White Fatalis.

The Elder Dragon landed with a tremor that shook the Tower. Taka and Relcia looked up at the monster with pure awe written all over their faces. Framed by crumbling ruins and against a background of roiling clouds, the glowing dragon was certainly a sight to behold.

The White Fatalis was the reason for Taka's journey into the Great Frontier. When he had first started feeling uneasy about Relcia, he had flew into the dangerous region upon hearing only a rumor of it. He remembered thinking that his entire world depended on a single, shining scale.

But now things were different. Tartu had infected Relcia with darkness, and that darkness had spread to Taka. He no longer wanted to heal Relcia – he thought she was perfect the way she was. Instead, he wanted to use this dragon's magnificent power to take control of the Great Frontier.

However – the mere presence of the White Fatalis caused his prominent dark side to shrink back in mortal fear. The sliver of light that still resided within him became bolder, and came forth towards the surface. For only an instant, Taka remembered how he and Relcia used to be – heroes, two lovers that would do anything for each other. A single tear slipped down his face at the memory.

In a voice that was somehow both the rumble of an earthquake and the chiming of a church bell, the White Fatalis spoke. _Greetings,_ it said. _I welcome you to the Tower. I am the oldest of the Fatalis siblings, the White Fatalis._

Taka gulped as his dark side cowered, rendering him unable to speak. The White Fatalis nodded, using his powerful magic to see right into his soul. _I understand,_ he intoned. _I know what it is that ails you both. Darkness pervades your spirits, and you have come to rid yourselves of it._

Relcia looked as if she were about to protest, but the White Fatalis silenced her with a stare. _Do not speak,_ he warned. _Whatever comes from your mouth comes from the side of the shadows. Instead, allow me to rid you of this plague. It is only right._

Now the darkness rose up inside Taka, demanding the Elder Dragon's well-deserved death. Shockingly, the seemingly insignificant sliver of light within him fought with all its strength, actually pushing some of the darkness away. Taka paused and sank to his knees, eyes on the floor, while his two sides battled it out.

The White Fatalis noticed this and decided that it was a good thing. But he signaled his ally in his mind, and soon, a huge Berukyurosu swooped down from out of nowhere and pinned Taka and Relcia to the ground with its talons. "Do… not… move," it said haltingly, in the human language. "White… Fatalis… will… cure… you."

The Elder Dragon smiled for the first time. _This is Volantes,_ he said to the pinned humans. _Don't worry, he's only securing you so that the darkness has no chance to fight back._

Volantes remained silent as the White Fatalis' wings began to glow with an unearthly light. He closed his blood-red eyes and began to mutter under his breath. Instinctively, Taka knew what the White Fatalis was doing. The divine monster was beginning the healing process in order to destroy the darkness and return light to their souls.

For the first time in an age, Taka felt the darkness within him fall still. Although he couldn't see it, his eyes were glowing with a radiant shine, allowing light to enter his soul. The darkness suddenly unfroze, roaring and raging at the touch of the hated light, but it was fighting a losing battle. The light inside of him grew and expanded, returning hope and good will to his spirit.

As the light calmed him, and indeed Relcia too, Volantes released his grip, coming into a slow hover above their heads. Taka and Relcia, spellbound, didn't move, feeling the changes they were undergoing. The changes were new, but familiar as they began to remember who they were and what they stood for.

But just then, something had to go wrong. A bolt of ice flew down and struck the White Fatalis. The beast didn't even flinch, but the small shock was enough to disrupt his concentration. The glow around his wings faded, and Taka felt the changes stop. He wasn't fully healed - once again at the stage where the darkness and light were evenly divided.

He looked up. Perched on the tallest of the ruins were two beings he hoped he would never see again - Tartu and Mylie. And with a thrill of horror, he saw a gigantic, reptilian head rise up behind them to stare him balefully in the eye.

"Hello again, Taka!" called Mylie with false cheeriness. "When we heard you were headed here to the Tower, we couldn't resist the thought of a happy reunion! I've always loved parties, so we brought a few friends along with us too!" She gestured at the immense beast behind her, and then the hunters appearing from their hiding spots amongst the ruins. There were five, all clad in elite armor and wielding fearsome weapons.

The serpentine monster let out a screech that shook the Tower. _White Raviente!_ scolded the White Fatalis. _Go back to your worm holes on Absolute Island and do not interfere with me again! Remember this, I am the one who so easily imprisoned you all those years ago!_ The Raviente winced at the memory.

Taka stood up shakily as his two sides resumed their warring. But both light and shadow were in agreement this time - Tartu and Mylie had to die. _But they have magic powers_, whispered a voice in his head. _With that magic orb of theirs, they're in a league of their own. _Indeed, Taka saw the glowing ball of light hovering beside Mylie, granting them a multitude of supernatural powers.

The White Fatalis was eyeing the orb too. _Only the five elements combined can destroy such a powerful tool of black magic,_ he growled. Taka's heart sank. Between him, Relcia, and Mylie, there were only three present - Thunder, Water, and Ice. And he doubted that Mylie would be kind enough to lend them her power.

Just then, there was a roar, and everyone present looked up at the stormy sky. Two monsters were flying straight at them - one was a Rathalos, and the other a Nargacuga. Now Taka's heart gave a leap as Relcia cried, "It's Vulcan and Syrie!"

The monsters landed, and to Taka's eternal surprise, Illeera and Elric jumped down from Syrie's back. Lauren and Jin were quick to follow. "Taka!" cried Illeera, pulling him into a hug. Delightfully, Taka hugged her back, saying, "I'm glad to see you're safe."

Illeera pushed away from him and said with a smile that lit up the world, "I'd do anything for my best friend. No, forgive me. You're not my best friend, you're my blood-brother. We're siblings. Two bodies with one soul." Taka laughed and hugged her again.

"Then let's win this, sister," he said, a little choked up. "Let's show Tartu and Mylie what's what!"

Mylie was scowling at the sight of the new arrivals, but Tartu looked undaunted. With a mere wave of his hand, the glowing orb sent out a pulse of black energy that swept across the area with a chilly breeze that froze the spirit. Two clumps of dark matter began to swirl some distance in front of Taka, rapidly forming familiar shapes.

Taka froze at the sight that greeted him next. Standing before him were two monsters - both identical, but different. One was badly torn up, its wounds looking like they had been made a hundred years before. The other was charred and blackened, and many of its teeth were either broken or gone completely. Each of their eyes glowed a fearsome, evil red, but they also had one bad eye each, a scar slashing down across the milky-white orbs.

They were the Vengeful Gobuls, back from the dead.

-.-.-.-.-.

The Tower rapidly became the site of a battle the likes of which had never been seen before. The White Fatalis stood alone against White Raviente, Taka, Relcia, Illeera, and Elric went up against the Gobuls, and the monsters - Vulcan, Jin, Syrie, and Volantes - stood their ground against the hunters. Tartu and Mylie watched the entire thing as if it were staged for their own amusement.

The White Fatalis circled the Tower, effortlessly followed by White Raviente's gaze. The dragon discovered that its foe was tightly coiled around the Tower, allowing its long neck to move wherever it pleased in its effort to destroy him.

The serpent screeched, a sound that struck like a physical blow. White Fatalis reeled, then regained control of himself as he flapped straight for his enemy's head. Grabbing on with his talons, White Fatalis clung to White Raviente's head and snapped repeatedly at its eyes.

Shrieking, the massive Elder Dragon whipped its head back and forth, trying to shake him off. The dragon found himself growing dizzy. At the last second, he released his grip and was flung high into the air. Instantly, the White Raviente shot a fireball at him, the projectile surrounded by a terribly hot nebula of white flame.

Just avoiding the deadly fireball, the White Fatalis quickly spat his own projectile - a red sphere of pure lightning, that sped down White Raviente's throat and immediately paralyzed it. With a piteous moan, the Elder Dragon relaxed its grip on the Tower, plummeting back through the clouds. The White Fatalis folded his wings and shot after it like a shining arrow, ready to continue the battle.

-.-.-.-.-.

Vulcan leapt into the air, dodging a swipe from one of the hunters' weapons. With a grunt of frustration, she swung the Longsword once more, only to have Vulcan outmaneuver her and slam her with his talons. It was clear that these elite hunters were unused to fighting a wvyern that struck from the air.

Meanwhile, Syrie and Jin worked together to fight a pair of hunters. Syrie went after the one she sensed was less experienced, knowing that she'd stand a better chance. Jin was left with the more battle-hardened, tougher one, knowing that he had never fought the likes of a Zinogre before. He deftly dodged a clumsy strike from his Hammer, then backflipped back and slammed the hunter with his flat tail.

Volantes was left with the final hunter, who shot arrow after arrow at him while he hovered in the sky. Swiping twice with his wing ribbons, Volantes used their hooked tips to pull him down to the ground with immense force. His previous swipes managed to catch the hunter off guard, allowing him to knock her down with the following body slam.

Quickly, he fled and joined Vulcan in battle. He had never seen a Rathalos so adept at flying before, and he had to admit that the wyvern had the skills of a Berukyurosu. Striking from the hunter's blind spot, he shot a blast of electricity from his wing, catching her off guard and throwing her into the dirt.

The hunter picked herself painfully off of the ground, blood dripping from the wound that Vulcan had made previously. She just managed to dodge Vulcan's next fireball, only to have herself outmaneuvered once more. With a scream, she was stabbed through the abdomen with Vulcan's tail spike, and flung over the edge of the Tower.

The two wyverns glanced at each other, a mutual respect in their eyes. But when they heard Jin's howl, they sprang into action once again. Running to help Jin, they found themselves blocked by the archer that Volantes had faced previously, as well as a magical barrier put up by Tartu on the sidelines.

One of the hunters, a strong fellow that wielded a Gunlance, had gotten a lucky shot with Jin, The Zinogre pup's leg had been badly burned by a shell, causing him to stumble and limp on the now-injured limb. The hunter prepared to use the dreaded Wyvern's Fire attack while Jin looked on helplessly, trying to get out of the way. One blast, and Jin would be barbequed into a smoking husk.

Syrie, busy fending off an attack from the Hammer-wielder, caught sight of Jin's danger. Without warning, she batted away her attacker with her tail and sped toward Jin. With a mighty leap, she leapt right over the pup's head and in front of the Gunlance-wielder. His eyes went wide as, just before his weapon finished charging, Syrie shot a dozen tail spikes straight into his chest and neck. Streams of blood poured down his armor as he dropped his Gunlance.

The weapon went off with a huge blast, blowing a nearby ruin to smithereens. The Nargacuga knocked the dying hunter aside as she ran back to protect Jin from the other hunter.

Jin seemed to become re-energized, regaining the use of his leg. He howled deafeningly, calling his Thunderbugs toward him. Their electrical power caused his fur and spikes to stand up fully, giving him an intimidating demeanor that caused even the hardened Hammer-wielding hunter to pause. Jin barked an order to his Thunderbugs, which formed a sphere of lightning that shot at the hunter. He avoided the attack by a hair, only to have Jin's tail catapult him into the air.

By a stroke of luck, the hunter landed safely - his armor provided enough resistance to stop him from breaking anything. He swung his Hammer at Jin, only to have it knocked out of his hand by a stray bolt from Volantes, who had missed his intended target. He scrambled to retrieve his weapon, only to have it knocked off the edge of the Tower by Syrie's tail.

Although his helmet hid it, he glanced furtively at the fallen Gunlance. When Syrie leapt at him, he dove underneath her razor-edged wing and ended up near the weapon. Taking it in his own hands, he stabbed at her exposed flank and fired a single shell. Syrie winced at the first blow, and then yowled as the searing-hot projectile slammed into her wounded side.

Jin was quick to defend her. He jumped high into the air, flipped onto his back, and slammed down upon the hunter. Not only did Jin's exposed spikes punch through his armor and into his flesh, but the Thunderbugs nestled in the Zinogre's fur swarmed through the gaps in the armor and over the wounds, sending excruciating jolts of pain through the hunter's body.

Meanwhile, the archer was proving more difficult to dispose of than Vulcan or Volantes thought. She ducked and dodged through every swipe of their tails, every lash of Volantes' wing ribbons, every strike of Vulcan's talons. And she struck back with arrows that were too fast to dodge.

Finally Volantes flew up into the air, too high for the arrows to reach. Seeing that she wouldn't be able to hit him at that height, the hunter focused relentlessly on Vulcan, forcing him to stick to evasive maneuvers without being able to get a strike of his own in.

When the small red light appeared just in front of the hunter, Vulcan instinctively backed away, not knowing what it was but feeling uneasy about it just the same. The hunter herself simply stopped and stared in bewilderment at the light. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen.

And it was indeed the last thing she ever saw, as a huge electrical blast larger than Volantes' entire body shot down from the sky and instantly vaporized her.

Vulcan just blinked in shock. Then the roar of the White Raviente crashed in their ears from below the Tower, and he decided on his next course of action. Followed by Volantes and Syrie, he dove over the edge to aid the White Fatalis.

-.-.-.-.-.

Taka wasn't paying attention to the epic battles that raged around him, as he was fully engaged in a battle of his own. He could feel his heart swimming with fear and his muscles becoming like water as he ducked and dodged the relentless attacks of the Vengeful Gobuls.

One snapped at him with its half-toothless jaws. He hastily got out of the way, only to be met with the tail of the other. The huge fin smashed into his chest, and all the breath was knocked out of his lungs. Only quick thinking from Elric was enough to save his life - the boy carved a deep, painful wound in the first Leviathan's fin, and then swung his Greatsword in an arc to strike the other.

For a split second, he panicked after he groped for his Longsword and couldn't feel the handle. Then he remembered his shapeshifting abilities, and relaxed, allowing his form to change into that of a Rajang.

The immense ape-like beast bellowed, beating his fists against his chest threateningly. As the torn Gobul lunged at him with its jaws wide open, he swiftly turned and slammed them shut. The Vengeful Gobul hissed with pain as he followed up with a powerful blow with his fist, sending it reeling.

The other Gobul took advantage of Taka's momentary distraction to extend its spikes and to tackle him, injecting him with its paralyzing venoms. Taka could feel his Pelagus form grow numb and begin to shudder and shake uncontrollably, instinctively trying to fight off the neurotoxin. He couldn't move as both Gobuls moved to finish him.

But then, Relcia shot between him and the charred Gobul and sliced at it with her Wolf Tessen. Her swords opened up a huge wound in its jaw, which caused it to roar and back away in pain. The torn Gobul, about to clamp down on Taka's neck, was dealt with by Elric's Khezu Shock Sword, which cleaved through its flank. It backed away as well.

Suddenly, the strength of Taka's will allowed him to break free of the neurotoxins' paralyzing effects. Roaring, his fur shone a brilliant yellow as he dealt two swift blows to the torn Gobul, and then followed up with a blast of electricity that slammed into it with lightning-bolt force.

Unnervingly, none of the Vengeful Gobuls' wounds were bleeding. Indeed, they didn't even seem to be afflicted by pain as they relentlessly attacked him again and again. Taka dodged each attack and always met them with a powerful punch. He avoided a tail slap from the charred Gobul, then grabbed onto the appendage and used it to fling the Gobul onto its back.

As the monster thrashed, Taka jumped high into the air and plummeted down, electricity arcing around his outstretched fist. The fist slammed into the Gobul's vulnerable belly with a flash of lightning - and the Gobul exploded into wisps of black energy that faded almost immediately.

That left only one Vengeful Gobul to deal with - the original, the one that had killed Taka's mother and almost fatally wounded his father. The one that had bit his arm and Illeera's leg off. The one that had sworn to kill him all those years ago. Now, old foes once again circled each other warily, ready to fight once more to the death.

-.-.-.-.-.

The White Fatalis circled the head of the dazed Raviente as the gargantuan serpent fought to regain its consciousness. Even for such a huge monster, a fall from the near top of the Tower would have badly hurt it.

It suddenly got up and coiled once more around the Tower. It raised its head toward the White Fatalis and shot several deadly fireballs. The Elder Dragon dodged each one and retaliated with his red lightning. Thousands of volts shot through the White Raviente's body as it spasmed. It involuntarily tightened its grip on the base of the Tower, and its spasms caused the building to rock back and forth.

The shining white Elder Dragon winced as the Tower shuddered, imagining the people and monsters that fought at the summit hanging on for dear life. He moved to stop the Raviente, when a noise made him stop and look up.

Plunging from out of the clouds were Volantes, the Rathalos, and the Nargacuga, looking more than ready to rumble. The White Fatalis smiled. _Come, friends! _he decreed. _Let us push the White Raviente back to where it belongs!_

The four monsters - three wyverns with an Elder Dragon at the head - dove straight at the angry Raviente, ready to defeat it once and for all.

-.-.-.-.-.

Taka's friends stood on the sidelines, sensing that this was Taka's fight, and his alone. The Vengeful Gobul lunged, biting down on Taka's arm as he roared wildly, trying to shake the Leviathan off.

He shapeshifted suddenly, becoming a small Vespoid whose leg slipped through the Gobul's teeth. Then another change occured, with Taka transforming into a huge Anorupatisu. The wyvern shrieked, displaying his long jagged nose horn threateningly.

The Gobul didn't hesitate, not caring what form Taka took. It sparked up its lantern, then released its signature blinding light. Taka was unable to cover his eyes in time, and was thus temorarily blinded.

The Vengeful Gobul saw its opportunity and took it, roughly tackling Taka's midsection and driving him back towards the edge of the Tower. Taka's eyesight recovered and he struck back with his bladed horn, slicing through the Gobul's hide and pushing it away.

That was when the tremor struck. The Tower felt as if it were being shaken from side to side. Taka stumbled at first, almost losing his balance and falling, then jumped into the air. _Thank goodness this monster can fly,_ he thought gratefully. The Gobul crouched low to the ground and held on stubbornly with its fins, refusing to be moved.

Taka was about to strike when he saw his friends rapidly losing their balance. The shaking suddenly got worse, causing them to fall. But the Tower suddenly leaned even more to one side, causing Relcia to slip and slide down the incline. Taka's heart caught in his throat as he saw her grab for the edge of the platform and miss.

Instantly, he folded his wings and plunged like a blue arrow after her. Clouds obscured his vision, but he managed to keep Relcia in sight as he pursued. Suddenly, the clouds vanished, and Taka could now see the ground, far away but rapidly rushing up to greet them. He could now hear the roars of the monsters as they battled the White Raviente, but didn't care. His only focus was on saving Relcia.

The ground was now less than three hundred meters away. Then two hundred... then one hundred... Relcia's scream mixed in with the wind rushing past Taka's ears... Desperately, he threw out his talons, prepared to catch her...

Suddenly, a dark red shape zipped out from the corner of his eye. And just like that, Relcia was gone. Taka flared his wings and pulled up before rising in flight once more. Vulcan cruised beside him, smiling his wyvern's grin. On his back was Relcia, who was breathing hard from fear but smiling at the same time.

Taka and Vulcan both landed on the pinnacle of the Tower. Relcia slid down from Vulcan's back, and the wyvern flew off once more to assist the White Fatalis.

But the Vengeful Gobul caught sight of Taka instantly and barreled towards him full speed ahead. Taka, however, was prepared for the attack, and jumped over the Gobul. It halted just in time to avoid running off the Tower's edge, and swung around to face its foe once more.

Too late - Taka was already on the move. With a single swing of his horn, Taka sliced its front left fin right off. The Gobul howled as it fell to the ground, in pain from the loss of its limb.

It was then that Taka struck again at the Gobul's exposed underside, driving his bladed horn straight through its heart.

The Gobul exploded into dark energy and was seen no more.

Taka, however, had no time to relax. _The White Raviente is still at large, pardon the pun,_ Taka thought grimly, _and Tartu and Mylie still must be dealt with._

He shrieked, calling his friends over. "Come on!" he said in the human language so that they all could understand. "There are still enemies to defeat if we are to win this battle!" With those words, Illeera, Elric, and Relcia climbed onto his back. Taka took off, headed for the tallest of the ruins adorning the Tower, ready to deal with Tartu and his former friend Mylie once and for all.

-.-.-.-.-.

Vulcan dove back into the battle, where Syrie and Volantes flew circles around the White Raviente's head like troublesome flies. The White Fatalis also circled, striking the much larger monster with continuous lightning strikes.

He saw Syrie latch onto the Raviente's head and batter it with her tail. While it was busy trying to dislodge her, Volantes blasted its face and eyes with electrical power. Vulcan roared once before shooting a stream of fireballs straight down the Raviente's throat.

Although it didn't kill the monster, the fiery bursts still badly burnt its mouth and throat. The White Raviente screeched in pain before shooting its own fireball straight at Vulcan. The Rathalos' eyes widened as the fireball sped toward him, unable to move in time to avoid it.

But then, a black shape streaked into view. The fiery projectile exploded just short of Vulcan, although the shockwave still sent him twirling through the air. When he righted himself, Vulcan gasped at the sight of Syrie's burnt, lifeless body plummeting toward the ground, wings trailing uselessly behind her.

Rage took hold of him. A mighty roar tore its way out of his jaws as he sped at the White Raviente, barraging it with all the fire he could muster. The majority of the flames battered its face and snout, causing it to flinch and whine in pain, but several others burnt right through its eyeball. The White Raviente shrieked once more in agony as its empty socket wept tears and small embers.

_OK, OK, you win!_ came the monstrously loud voice, crashing in Vulcan's eardrums. It took a moment for him to realize that it was the Raviente who was yelling at them. It buried its head into the ground, and soon had disappeared underground. It didn't resurface again.

_The battle is not yet over!_ the White Fatalis told Vulcan and Volantes. _There are still two humans we must deal with!_ The Elder Dragon soared upwards toward the peak of the Tower, with the two Flying Wyverns determinedly following.

-.-.-.-.-.

Taka landed heavily on the top-most ruin. His friends slid down off his back as he shapeshifted back into himself. Across from them stood Tartu and Mylie, both glaring defiantly at them.

"You can never defeat us!" Mylie burst out angrily. "You're only delaying the inevitable by interfering with us! We will kill you and then use the White Fatalis' power to take over the entire known world!" The team of four all looked daggers at their former friend, now sunk so deeply into her own pit of darkness that there would never be any climbing out.

The glowing orb of magical energy floated in between the two evildoers, seeming to almost mock Taka. He knew from the White Fatalis' earlier words that there would be no destroying it without the power of the five elements. And like he had realized earlier that they were missing two - Fire and Ice, if you didn't include Mylie.

But then the time for thinking was over, as Tartu's rage and hatred suddenly got the better of him. He shouted a spell, and his orb glowed brighter for a brief instant, granting him the use of its magic. Thick spiderwebs shot from his hands, binding Illeera and Elric together and causing them to topple.

Mylie struck next, hurling an icy bolt of lightning at the helpless pair. Taka flung himself in its path and summoned that spark deep within him. He grasped the spark and threw its power at Mylie's bolt. The two energies clashed with one another, creating a brilliant explosion of ice and electricity.

Mylie was undaunted, allowing blast after blast to lash out from her hands. Relcia stepped in between her and the others, using her Wolf Tessen to deflect each energy pulse. Mylie rapidly became more and more furious as she increased the strength and speed of her attacks. Taka could see Relcia tiring, although she tried not to show it.

Illeera stepped in and used her Dragon ability to create a blast that smashed right through the hail of ice, all the while travelling toward Mylie on a certain collision course. Tartu used a spell that caused the Dragon energy to slow down to a near crawl. Mylie got out of the way, and the Dragon blast sped up again, speeding uselessly into the distance.

A plan hit Taka at the same time as Tartu's energy pulse. Picking himself up off the ground painfully, Taka allowed a small grin to spread across his face. _It's going to be a long shot..._ he thought to himself. _But if I can pull this off, then Tartu and Mylie will be defenseless._

He glanced at the battlefield, now erupting into chaos. Elric and Tartu were sparring with their weapons, and Relcia, Mylie, and Illeera were engaged in a heated battle with their respective elements. _Perfect._

Taka shapeshifted into the smallest monster he could think of, a tiny Hornetaur. The insect silently scuttled forward, joints clicking slightly but that being the only noise he made. It took painstaking effort to creep quietly and not to make a mad dash for his target, but Taka managed to keep his patience under control.

Finally, he reached the glowing orb that had been momentarily forgotten on the sidelines, even though it was flashing madly from Tartu and Mylie's constant uses of its magic. Taka turned back into himself and, after only a moment's hesitation, laid his hands on the orb.

There was no surge of energy that overwhelmed and killed him as he had thought. The orb was nothing but energy, but it felt solid and warm as if he was holding onto a Lava Nugget. He lifted the object in his hands, admiring its surprisingly light weight. He felt his control over his Thunder and shapeshifting abilities increase a hundredfold.

With Taka now registered as the magic orb's new holder, Tartu and Mylie's magic faded away. Tartu stopped his assault on Elric, looking at his hands in appalled bewilderment. Mylie's ice blasts, while they still existed, were not as powerful as before. They simultaneously looked at Taka and the orb in his hands.

Tartu glared with all of his wrath at him, but Mylie screamed in a fit of temper and unleashed all the Ice element from within her. This was the moment Taka had been waiting for. He tossed the magic orb into the path of the released Ice power and yelled, "Relcia, Illeera, NOW!"

He summoned the spark inside him and released a jagged bolt of lightning at the orb. Relcia and Illeera struck with a stream of Water and Dragon. Taka knew they'd have to strike with all the power they had, lacking the presence of the Fire element as they were.

But from above came a flash of orange light and a searing heat. Taka didn't have any time to contemplate over what it was before the four elements - Ice, Thunder, Dragon, and Water, struck the orb dead on. Its glow intensified, as if it were a living being screaming out in agonizing pain.

And then Vulcan's fireball finished its flight down through the air and smashed into the orb as well.

The glowing tool of witchcraft exploded in a dramatic flare of light and energy that blinded everyone, as well as sent a tremendous shiver up their spines.

Tartu didn't waste time being shocked, unlike Mylie, who stood there in a daze. He unsheathed his Sword and Shield and lunged at Taka, who prepared for battle.

But then, there was a sudden cry like the tolling of a bell, and in a flash of vibrant white light, the White Fatalis landed in the middle of the fray.

Everyone paused and gazed up at the Elder Dragon, who quietened the opposition with just a single flex of his wings. Tartu dropped his arms to his sides in submission. All of his confidence, rage, and pride seemed to evaporate into nonexistence.

Then the White Fatalis screeched to the heavens, and a crimson lightning bolt of pure power flashed down from the sky and struck Tartu dead-on. He was instantly vaporized.

Mylie looked as if someone had torn out her heart. For the first time since the battle with Renalimas in the Besieged Castle, the light of sanity seemed to return to her eyes.

That didn't stop Taka from advancing on her and holding her by the scruff of her Ludroth armor. "I told you a year ago that I would kill you next time we met," he whispered softly. "I believe it's time for me to make due on that promise."

Mylie sagged. "You're probably right," she said sadly, and Taka faltered. He hadn't expected to hear that from Mylie - and what's more, there was none of the usual malice in her voice. Indeed, he felt like he was speaking to his old childhood friend again.

"Taka, this won't make up for everything I've done," she continued, tears leaking from her eyes, "but I'm truly sorry for it all. Tartu first convinced me to help him at a time where I was most confused. I couldn't, and still can't, speak the monster language, and I didn't, and still don't, have a monster to call my friend and companion. I was insanely jealous of you. Tartu saw that, and twisted it until I was driven mad with evil."

Taka was silent. Mylie took a deep, shuddering breath as the tears began flowing down her cheeks. "But most of all, I was jealous because you had Relcia with you. I never admitted it, even to myself, but ever since you ended the war in the Central World, I loved you. I was so jealous that you had found someone else to be happy with, and that was part of the reason I moved against you."

She finished with a sob and a quiet. "If I have to die, I want these to be my final words - Taka, I love you so much."

Taka sighed sadly. He didn't let go of Mylie's armor. "I'm sorry, Mylie," he said. He raised his hand - and did something he had never done until this moment.

He summoned his shapeshifting ability, but in a way he had never before used it. He grasped it, but instead of willing it to change his shape, he willed it to flow out from him. He closed his eyes and raised his hand, now glowing softly with power. Taka pressed his hand against Mylie's cheek and allowed his power to be released.

In less than half a minute, Mylie was gone, replaced by a Remobra. The newly formed wyvern shrieked and flew off into the turbulent sky, possibly never to be seen again.

The White Fatalis spoke up just then, catching everyone's attention. _I now realize what kind of a person you are, Taka,_ he said. _You did not wish to kill your friend, instead offering her mercy and a chance at a new life, despite everything she had done to harm you and your other friends. You saw past the last year and instead realized that a near lifetime of being your close friend has more than made up for it._

Taka nodded as Relcia came up from behind him, looking the tiniest bit guilty as she twined her arm around his. The Elder Dragon noticed this and smiled. _Do not worry, Relcia. Your friend, even though she was envious of you and Taka, would want the two of you to be together._

The White Fatalis spread his wings to their full impressive span. _And now,_ he decreed, as Volantes flew from who knows where to stand by his master's side, _to finish what I had started._

Taka and Relcia pressed closer together, smiling at each other contentedly as the White Fatalis' wings shone with mystic energy once again, and the darkness retreated forever from their souls.

-.-.-.-.-.

**We still have yet to have our happy ending! Review please, and stay tuned for "Monster Hunter Destiny: ****_Final Chapter_****"!**

**TRIVIA: The original idea for the "Mylie-being-turned-into-Remobra" scene came from "BIONICLE: The Legend Reborn", when Mata Nui turns Metus into a serpent. But being the kind-hearted being I am, I decided to have Taka do it out of pity instead of punishment.**


	15. Monster Hunter Destiny: Final Chapter

**There's nothing to say except...**

**It's time for Monster Hunter Destiny: The Final Chapter!**

-.-.-.-.-.

**One Month Later**

The memories flowed through Taka's head as he stood straight and tall. He wore a long-sleeved buttoned top and a jacket made from shed wyvern scales, as well as a pair of pants made from Velvety Hide. The reason for this new, formal wear was – well, suffice it to say that it was a special occasion.

On his right stood Elric, similarly dressed. The boy gave him a smile and nudge. Taka gave him a friendly nod before turning his attention to the person on his left.

Beside him, Relcia smiled back at him, wearing a sleeveless, Rathian-scale dress trimmed with silky Popo fur. She clasped his hand in hers as they waited for the Elder's words to come. Any foreign wyvern that might have passed by just then could have instantly deduced what the occasion was.

Taka took a deep breath through his nose, savoring this moment. No longer would he and Relcia be simple friends, or even a simple couple. He closed his eyes, allowing the memories to overtake him…

-.-.-.-.-.

**Six Years Ago**

Taka ran through the foliage making up the forest in the Idyllic Ocean region. He had foolishly gotten lost during his search, and now had no idea how to get back to Mediatas Village. Every minute he spent in the dangerous jungle was a threat to his life.

It was Illeera he was looking for. His best friend had went off into the Idyllic Ocean as a favor to the Village Elder, who had requested her to find Blue Mushrooms in order to help replenish the village's Potion supply. But at least she knew her way around the Idyllic Ocean.

Taka did not.

Now Taka was not only worried for the safety of Illeera, but himself as well. He stumbled through the last of the trees, making his way down to the shoreline.

He allowed himself a moment of relaxation. Not only was the serene view of the sea naturally calming, but he could now clearly see the top of the Great Oceanic Cliff peering over the tops of the trees. Now, at least he knew in what direction to go if he was to make his way back home.

Suddenly, the ferns behind him rustled. Taka jumped and nervously adjusted his glasses as they slipped slightly down his nose. He clutched his miserable Hunter's Knife in his fist – if whatever came out of the bushes was any bigger than a Velocidrome, then he was probably dead meat.

He jumped again as the creature crashed through the foliage and onto the sand. But Taka allowed himself to relax as he noticed that it was only a girl, about his age from the look of her. In fact, something about her seemed familiar.

"… Taka, right? The shapeshifter?" she asked doubtfully, eyeing him warily. He nodded, still wondering who she was and why he felt as if he had seen her before. The girl visibly relaxed and smiled warmly at him. "Illeera and Mylie told me about you. They say that you're a really good friend."

Taka smiled sheepishly and looked down at the sand. That was when he saw a strange lump coming out from the ground. The girl followed his gaze and peered at the lump as well. "Hey, looks like there's something buried there," she observed. "Want to see what it is?"

Normally, Taka would have said no. In a dangerous, war-torn world such as this, a strange lump in the sand could have been anything – a lost Lagiacrus egg, for which the worried mother could come searching for at any minute, or a buried Hermitaur, waiting for prey to stumble across its path. But the girl's kind smile seemed to convince him otherwise. Before he knew what he was doing, Taka nodded.

Both of them bent down and began to burrow in the sand, trying to dig the hidden object up. It was Taka who finally reached into the small hole that they had made and clasped his fingers around the object – it was gritty with sand, but with a smooth, hard texture. It felt cool to the touch.

Taka pulled out the object and almost immediately gasped. It was a fist-sized gemstone, deep blue in color and sparkling with the radiance of the sea. "A Deep Dragongem," he breathed. He had read about such things, but had never thought he'd have the fortune to see one with his own eyes.

The girl was similarly stunned. Dazedly, Taka brought the Dragongem up to be exposed in the sunlight. It sparkled even more, shining with the most beautiful sapphire color.

He glanced at the girl, who was looking at him expectantly. _What are you going to do with it?_ she seemed to be asking. "You can have it," Taka said, holding out the Deep Dragongem. The girl looked even more stunned. "No, no, no," she protested, pushing his hand away. "You take it. You were the one to dig it up."

Taka smiled and retorted, "You helped. And it was your idea to dig it up in the first place." The girl pushed until the Deep Dragongem was being hugged against Taka's chest. "Take it," she insisted. "I don't want it."

The shapeshifter looked intently at her earnest, pretty face. He suddenly felt something deep inside of him – almost as if his heart was fluttering – but the sensation was dim enough to be dismissed as a figment of his imagination.

"You're from Mediatas, right?" Taka suddenly asked, recognizing the girl. She smiled and nodded. "My name's Relcia," she told him with a slight widening of her smile. "Pleased to meet you."

-.-.-.-.-.

**One Week Ago**

Taka approached Elric, hard at work in the forge. The boy had agreed to stay in Mediatas Village for the next little while, at least. As Taka approached Elric - who hadn't noticed him yet, so great was his concentration – and grabbed the little slip of paper in his Qurupeco pants pocket.

"Elric." The sound of Taka's voice was enough to make his friend jump a foot in the air. "Taka, you scared ten years off of me!" he scolded mildly. "What is it? What do you need me for?"

Taka grinned and handed the young blacksmith the paper. Bewildered, Elric unfolded the parchment and examined the design hastily scrawled on it. Although Taka wasn't the best at drawing up plans or blueprints, there was enough legible writing on the sheet for Elric to get an idea of what the shapeshifter wanted.

"It won't take long," Elric muttered, almost to himself. "But gathering enough Wyverngold will take weeks, potentially. It's not exactly the most common stuff…" Taka wordlessly reached into his other pocket and dug out several pieces of the needed material. "This cost me three Rathalos Scales and a Plate to trade for. Thank the gods that Vulcan was willing to hand them over."

Elric took the Wyverngold and smirked knowingly. "Well, with such a good reason as this, how could he refuse?" he asked. "It'll be ready in about a day. I'll get to work immediately."

The shapeshifter grinned uncontrollably. "Thanks, Elric, you're the best," he said, and the boy blushed and muttered to himself sheepishly. "Now, there's only one thing left to do…"

-.-.-.-.-.

**Present Day**

The flow of memories faded away as the Village Elder began his speech. Taka felt Relcia increase her grip slightly on his hand, and he replied with a similar gesture. They patiently waited for the Elder to finish, although inside, they were as impatient as two baby wyverns waiting for a late dinner.

Finally, the Elder looked to Taka and nodded. Taka turned to Relcia, smiling as he slipped the Wyverngold ring onto her finger. She smiled back, and did the same with his. Now both of their hands sported the brilliant, gleaming rings.

In a strong, carrying voice, the Elder pronounced Taka and Relcia as husband and wife. There was a huge cheer from the assembled crowd – which consisted of all the people Taka had grown up with, all the friends he had made over the years. There was Illeera, tears flowing down her eyes. Elric was there, as was Hydra and Ignus, and their little Terra. All the monsters were there as well – Vulcan and Jin and Ignatius (companionless since the death of Taahnn), Reia and her children, Bront and Rell. There were also a few foreign monsters – Helix and Dronk, Taka's friends from the Mysterious Beyond, and an Emerald Nargacuga named Viridis, who was Syrie's younger brother. They had all shown up in the days leading up to this one.

Amidst the cheers, Relcia lunged forward and eagerly wrapped her mouth around Taka's. Taka gathered her in his arms and replied in kind, deepening the already passionate kiss they shared. He didn't want this moment to end. It was the happiest moment of his life.

They broke apart slowly, yet didn't stray far from the other. Relcia's nose was touching his as she whispered, "I love you, Taka." He smiled and tightened his grip around her waist. "We both know it," he murmured, prompting a giggle from his new wife.

All of a sudden, there was a tremendous, echoing screech that rattled the sky. The cheers faded, and Taka and Relcia instinctively looked to the horizon. "Is that…?" Taka asked, trailing off as his mouth tweaked up at the edges. "It can't be…" Relcia replied.

Indeed it was. The setting sun was blotted out by a figure sailing on huge wings, a dragon so vast that the sky itself trembled with each wingbeat. "The Sky God!" exclaimed the Village Elder. "Taltaira!" Taka spoke its name with joy and excitement flooding his heart.

Suddenly, Vulcan was there. _He wants to speak with the two of you!_ he claimed. _Hop on, and I'll take you to him!_ Taka scrambled aboard, dutifully helping Relcia as she climbed on as well. Vulcan took off toward the passing Elder Dragon – the King of the Skies meeting the God of the Skies.

Vulcan leveled out his flight when they were side-by-side with the Taltaira's head. _Greetings!_ the dragon roared. _I'm glad to see you alive and well, shapeshifter!_ Taka laughed and shouted across, "And you as well!"

The Taltaira laughed, a rumbling sound that sent a shudder up Taka's spine. _I wish for you to ride on my back!_ he decreed. _You deserve to, Taka, on your wedding day! You are the Central World's hero, and the Central World itself wants to congratulate you and Relcia!_

The girl was grinning as the wind whipped her hair out behind her, hands clutching Taka's shoulders. _It's not an option, Taka,_ Vulcan said over his shoulder. _The Sky God has decided it – he wants to take the two of you on a flight across the Central World._

With that, the Rathalos soared upwards until he was just above the Taltaira's mountainous back. Taka stood up shakily, followed by Relcia. Taking her hand, he jumped down the few meters that separated the monsters, landing solidly on his feet. The Taltaira was so vast, it was as if he stood upon a flying landscape.

Vulcan soared off, but not far. Reia joined him, carrying Bront and Rell on her back as they flew. Taka couldn't help smiling at the sight of the wyvern family as he sat down.

Relcia did the same just behind him, wrapping her arms around him. The gigantic Elder Dragon soared into the brilliant sunset, with the light painting his dark crimson scales with orange and pink.

"This has been the best day of my life," Taka murmured as he gazed out at the impressively colored sky, framed by the Taltaira's massive peaked head. "Mine too," Relcia whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. "And it will be followed by the best night of our lives," she added suggestively, kissing his cheek with a new seductivity.

Taka glanced at her and reached back to stroke her hair. Ever since they had become friends, Relcia could be counted on to help him overcome any challenge – but now it seemed an entirely new challenge was looming, one that they both looked forward to in their own way.

The Taltaira raised his head and released an awesome screech that caused the very sky to tremble. Clouds shifted and made way for the Elder Dragon and his passengers. The sound crashed in Taka's ears and carried all the way to the four corners of the Central World.

Monsters all over the Central World – from the Wet Rainforest to the Frozen Wastes to even the depths of the Hellish Abyss – picked up on the call and raised their heads to the sky. All saw the majestic Elder Dragon and immediately knew what it was saying. Their hero, the one that had ended the war two years ago, was married. He had found true happiness this day. Even the Neopterons and Carapaceons felt their simple hearts swell with utmost joy.

In an amalgamation of different voices, each and every monster in the Central World shrieked, roared, growled, clicked, hissed, chirped, and sang the same thing. They wished their congratulations upon the shapeshifter and his new wife, and pronounced their undying loyalty to their hero.

Taka felt this immense vibration surge up to his ears, and smiled to himself. He kept smiling without once dropping the expression for the entire flight.

The Taltaira, with another victorious screech, flew into the sunset, the wyvern family following, into the beautiful sun of another coming twilight.

Their next adventure would begin tomorrow.

-.-.-.-.-.

**Monster Hunter Destiny is finally done! Farewell and many great goodbyes, and thank you for reading!**

**TRIVIA: If you think Taka's adventures are done, then I've fooled you good! The first installment of the Heroes of Moga trilogy is currently in progress, and I'll be posting it here soon!**

-.-.-.-.-.

**EN FIN**


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